Vegan Sicilian Arancine

Vegan Sicilian Arancine

Ciao a tutti! We have a classic Sicilian recipe today, thanks to Betty Alesi at La Vegana Siciliana. Grazie mille, Betty!

There has been a huge request for vegan arancine! These stand no chance against the normally “meat-filled” arancine found at Sicilian bars….actually these are much, much better! And of course, very easy to make!

Arancine Siciliane Veg

Ingredients for 10 arancine:

500 gr of rice for risotto (could be brown rice or arborio)
one package of saffron
salt and pepper, to taste
bread crumbs, to taste
sunflower seed oil, for frying

For the filling:

4 teaspoons of flour
water
Mix these together to form a paste; should not be too liquid.

For the seasoning:

tomato sauce
peas

If you want the reproduction of “arancine alla carne” (meat arancine)
“meatless” sauce or seitan will work

OR

If you want the reproduction of “arancine al burro”
use seitan cut in small cubes
faux mozzarella or *creamy white sauce

*for the white sauce, or besciamella in Italian mix 250 ml of soymilk and a spoonful of riceflour. Melt the flour in the soymilk and add a pinch of salt and pepper. Put it onto the stove on low heat and keep stirring until in starts to become a bit thicker.

Photos:

Arancine with mushrooms and tomato sauce

Arancine with tofu based tomato sauce and peas

Cook the rice in water. A little bit before it is done add the saffron and a pinch of salt. Once cooked, take it off the stove and without rinsing, let it cool to room temperature. Add black pepper and place into the fridge for a couple hours. Usually the rice can be made in the morning and the arancine can be fried in the afternoon.

To make the arancine, take the rice and cup the palm of your hand. Add the seasonings and put the rice into your hand, squeezing the ball of rice with both hands. Put it into the flour mix and then roll it in the breadcrumbs. Put into boiling sunflower seed oil and fry.

Buon appetito!!!!

by