Supplì Al Telefono

Did you pay attention to me when I told you to make extra risotto? I hope so, because if you did, you've got the ingredients you need to make these little treats. They're called supplì al telefono, because when you break into them, the mozzarella cheese comes oozing out like the cord of a telephone. Never mind that most people have cordless and/or wireless telephones. You get the idea.

Supplì are native to Rome, and are a variant of arancini, the little Sicilian fried rice croquettes that typically contain bits of meat in a red sauce, peas, and mozzarella.

 My version is a bit nontraditional, since I had leftover risotto made with small pieces of butternut squash and chestnuts, like the one below in my last post. A plain old ordinary risotto will do just fine. 

Make sure the risotto is cooled, then take a heaping spoonful, or use a small ice cream scoop, and place a little cube of mozzarella cheese in the middle. Cover with more risotto.

Roll into balls, completely covering the mozzarella.

Dip it in flour, then beaten egg, then breadcrumbs.

Fry it in hot oil until golden brown on the outside. Don't let the flame get too high, or the inside won't have enough time to heat and melt the cheese. Don't fry them at too low a heat, or you'll have very greasy supplì. Test one out before placing all of them in the skillet. I use a cast iron skillet and fill it about half way with oil. These make a great before dinner snack, accompanied by a good glass of red wine. You can make these ahead of time too, and reheat in the oven.

The only problem is resisting the temptation to eat all of them. 

Supplì Al Telefono

printable recipe here

leftover risotto of any kind - about one cup

mozzarella cheese, cut into small squares - about 1/4 cup or so

flour for rolling

1 egg, beaten

bread crumbs for rolling

oil for frying

Using a heaping spoonful of the cold risotto, place a small cube of mozzarella cheese in the center. Cover with more risotto, then shape into a ball. Roll the ball in flour, then in the beaten egg, then in the breadcrumbs. I use a cast iron skillet and add enough oil to come halfway up the rice balls. Test out one first, before placing them all in the pan. You want the oil to be hot enough so that they don't become greasy, but not so hot that they brown quickly on the outside without melting the cheese within.