These crispy rice croquettes or ‘Suppli’ are similar to arancini made with risotto rice and Bolognese sauce and are typical of Roman cuisine. The fillings can be meat or vegetarian.

Preparation

In a large pot, roast the minced beef with olive oil and butter until lightly browned and caramelized. Add the chopped vegetables and sweat for a few minutes while mixing every now and again. Create a bouquet with the herbs, wrap it in kitchen twine and add it to the pot. Season generously with salt, pepper and a touch of nutmeg.

When everything is browned, pour in the wine. Let the alcohol evaporate, add the crushed tomatoes and season to taste. Simmer slowly for a couple of hours and add water or stock if needed and a spoon of tomato paste for a richer flavor. When ready, add a splash of milk to the bolognese to mitigate the tomato acidity. Remove the herbs.

Now add the rice into the Bolognese and set the cooking time to about 17 minutes, adding the simmering stock a ladle at a time, little by little. Stir the rice occasionally, and keep cooking until creamy and cooked through.

Once the cooking time of the rice is up, if you’re happy with the texture remove, it from the heat, add the butter, the grated Grana Padano cheese and the egg and stir well. Season to taste and let the rice cool down in a large tray.

Once cold, create rice logs, with your hands – approx. 50/60 gr each and remember to put abundant diced mozzarella in the middle of each of them for the extra ooze effect. You can shape them as you please.

Once all are ready, let them set for 30 minutes in the fridge and then roll them gently into the flour. Following the flour, each Supplì should be dipped into the seasoned egg wash and ultimately coated evenly with breadcrumbs (or panko or a mix of the 2)

Now deep fry the rice balls in vegetable oil at 160 degrees for about 5/6 minutes, until well golden. If the cheese starts to break through the supplì while cooking, you can drain them straight away from the oil and finish to cook them in the over at 200 degrees until well golden. Season with a touch of salt, and serve hot with a sprinkle of grated cheese.

Chef’s tip: Most risotto grains will work for this recipe, like Carnaroli and Arborio but my first option will always be Riso Gallo ‘Traditional’ risotto rice from Sustainable agriculture. For extra crispiness, swap the common breadcrumbs for Japanese Panko. You can even double coat for a thicker crust.