Arancino or arancina? The solution to this dilemma is not simple and it has involved fine linguists, passionate cooks and many gourmands for centuries. Despite the dispute, everyone agrees on how good this symbol of  Sicilian street food is. Perfectly crispy, with its hot filling, the arancino or arancina – which ever you prefer – is never contested.

In Northern Italy, people call them arancini. Perhaps because Andrea Camilleri wrote Gli arancini di Montalbano. In the story, Inspector from Vigata is greedy of them, especially if trusted Adelina prepares them.

According to some, the correct name is arancina, because it comes from the shape of this breaded and fried rice ball that reminds of an orange (in Italian “arancia”). However, in Sicilian dialect the name for orange is arànciu (which is male), therefore the doubt remains.

And so the island is divided in two “schools o thoughts”: Western Sicily: arancina, Eastern Sicily: arancino

Aside from this etymological dispute, let’s all unite in an authentic veneration for this popular product.

The origin of the product goes back to the early medieval or Arab ages, due to the presence of saffron. The old story tells about an illustrious Sicilian who thought of the breading as a simple technique to preserve rice and take it along during long hunting trips and diplomatic missions; indeed, Frederick II of Svevia, who loved Palermo and was forced to wars and travels because of Christianity, used to travel with the crunchy arancini at his side.

Rice Arancine with ragu 

Ingredients:
for 20-22 arancine

• 1.3 kg rice (special rice for arancine and flans can now be purchased in the shops)

• Approximately three litres beef or vegetable stock.

• 100 g butter

• 1 onion

• 2 saffron powder sachets

• 200 g caciocavallo cheese chopped into chunks

• Flour

• 2  egg whites and 1 yolk

• Breadcrumb

• Olive oil