Thanks to the breading and frying, the rice and its filling were perfectly transportable.Īccording to this theory, arancine can be defined as a very happy synthesis of the various historical influences on this warm and welcoming island.Įven the name arancine can be traced back to ancient Arab culture: all the round meatballs in the Arab world took their names from the fruit they resembled in shape and size. The ragù filling is traced back to Norman domination, while it seems that the breading was made during the time of Frederick II of Swabia, when he was looking for a way to bring the dish with him on hunting trips. Subsequently, Emir Ibn at-Timnah (known for allying himself with Ruggero di Altavilla to deliver Sicily to the Normans and free it from the Saracen domination) invented timballo di riso, and from there, creating single portion timballos was quick. It was accompanied by meat and vegetables, and diners served themselves by taking some rice with their hands and eating it with the accompanying food. The Arabs were responsible for introducing spiced rice, flavored with saffron and served on a large plate placed in the center of the table. The most widespread theory starts from an analysis of their ingredients and traces their origin back to the High Middle Ages, during the Arab occupation (from the ninth to 11th century AD) that played a large part in influencing history and customs - including food - of Trinacria (present-day Sicily). History of the Sicilian stuffed rice balls Arancine (or arancini) are the best known Sicilian street food in Italy and in the world, yet there is no certain information about their origin, nor do we know the name of the chef who invented them.

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