Don't call it by the wrong name. In Palermo it's arancina (feminine). In Catania it's arancino (masculine). The debate rages.
Plan your Italy trip →A fist-sized ball of rice, stuffed (ragù + mozzarella + peas is the classic), breaded, and deep-fried until golden and crunchy. Inside: hot, melted, savory perfection. Cost at any Sicilian bar: €1.50-3. At a sagra: often €1-2. These are hand-assembled by people who have been making them since childhood.
Palermo says arancina (feminine, referring to the orange — arancia — it resembles). Catania says arancino (masculine, because "it's a rice ball, not an orange"). The linguistic war has raged for decades and is 100% serious. At a sagra in Palermo, say arancina. In Catania, say arancino. In the middle of Sicily, say nothing and eat quickly.
Classic (al ragù): Meat sauce, mozzarella, peas. Al burro: Béchamel, ham, mozzarella. Alla norma: Eggplant and ricotta. Al nero di seppia: Cuttlefish ink rice, black and dramatic. Al pistacchio: Bronte pistachio cream. The pistachio version at a Catania sagra is reason enough to fly to Sicily.
Tell us your dates — we'll find which sagre are happening during your trip.
Plan free →