Recipe - Arancine Ricotta cheese and cuttlefish ink

Arancini with ricotta and cuttlefish ink
Pasta with cuttlefish ink is a classic among Sicilian seafood dishes, and any restaurant worthy of the name is expected to feature it on its menu.
Several contemporary chefs have combined cuttlefish ink with fresh ricotta cheese, often with surprisingly tasty results. One example is the classic couscous with cuttlefish ink and ricotta from Scoglitti, in the province of Ragusa. In an arancina, this pairing works equally well. The rice is cooked with the cuttlefish ink, while the centre is made with ricotta cheese and tiny pieces of the cuttlefish itself. The perfect idea for an informal but refined dinner.
Gourmet
Medium
160 grams
Fish
Ingredients for about 12 arancini (160 grams)
Rice:
- 500 grams of rice (preferably "Roma" and "Originario" varieties, or "risotto for arancini ")
- 1.1 liter of fish stock
- 2 sachets of saffron
- 10 grams of salt
- 60 grams of butter
- Half bag of cuttlefish ink
For the finishing touch:
- 100 grams of flour
- 180 ml of water
- 2 eggs (optional - only serves to make the crispy arancino \to)
- 150 grams of bread crumbs
Filling:
- 1 cuttlefish
- 200 grams of ricotta cheese
- half a bag of cuttlefish ink
- 1 tablespoon of tomato concentrate
- half a glass of White wine
- 1 clove of ' garlic
- salt, pepper
- 1 tuft of parsley
Preparation of Rice and Filling


The Rice
How to prepare the rice:
- In a saucepan, put the broth, the butter, the saffron and the salt;
- When the stock is boiling, add the rice and mix well; cover and cook over low heat until the rice absorbs all the broth and is cooked but al dente;
- Add the cuttlefish ink;
-
stir, pour the rice on a cold surface and spread evenly to allow rapid cooling; when the rice is cool down, it is ready to prepare the arancini;
-
When the rice is cool down, it is ready to prepare the arancini
It is important to let the rice dry well during cooking. It should not be too hot or too wet, or it could stick to the mold.
For more information about rice, Click here.



The filling
- Remove the skin and cartilage from the cuttlefish and cut it into very small pieces;
- Using the flat of a knife blade, crush a clove of garlic then sauté it in a pan until just golden;
- Add the cuttlefish and sauté it over high heat until it begins to brown;
- Add the white wine and simmer until it has reduced;
- Dilute the tomato paste in a cup of water, then add the resulting liquid to the cuttlefish;
- Add salt and pepper to taste, lower the heat and allow the sauce to reduce and thicken;
- When it is almost done, add the cuttlefish ink
- Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool.
Shape the Arancina
Frying

The finishing touch
Put the arancini in the batter and in the bread crumbs as follows:
- In a bowl, place the flour
- Add the egg and water and beat well with whips
- When the batter is smooth and dense, pass the arancini
- Immediately after having passed them in the batter, pass the arancini in bread crumbs

La frittura
- Fry in plenty of oil until golden brown, to ensure your arancini fry up perfectly, use one of the following oils: peanut oil, olive oil, or palm oil.
- Heat the oil to the ideal temperature, 190°C, either in a frying pan or by setting the temperature on your deep fryer.
- If using a pan, you can make sure that the oil has reached the proper temperature by dropping in a bread crumb. If it sizzles, then the oil is ready.
- Immerse the arancini gently in the oil, only a few at a time, so as to prevent the temperature of the oil from falling too low.
- When they are done, place the arancini on absorbent paper, then serve.
- Serve the arancini with sauce on the side.
Enjoy your arancini!
Variation
The cuttlefish used in the filling can be prepared without adding in the ink.
Bonus Idea
Mix black and white sesame seeds into the breading to further complement the colour of these arancine.
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- Tags: Pesce Gourmet Recipes
- Arancinotto Staff