What do you get when you cross the crispy outer shell and meaty filling of an arancina with the spongy inner dough of a Crispy Creme donut? The answer is the rizzuola, a deep fried Sicilian snack that eats like a meal. This week, my friend Diana and I are headed to Palermo to study western Sicily’s street food. We thought it was only right to get a head start with our research in Rome.
We met my friend Rob in San Paolo at the Sicilian gastronomia Cu Mangia Crisci. It was lunchtime and the counter was full of plenty of tempting baked and fried things to choose from, but the rizzuole were calling our names. These Sicilian meat pies are made by filling dough with ragu’, a rich sauce of meat and peas, and mozzarella. The dough is formed into a patty, rolled in bread crumbs, and deep fried. The result is a crispy, golden brown exterior within which the spongy dough encases the melted cheese and dense meat sauce.
Our preliminary research set the stage for things to come. In Palermo we have many deep fried and meat filled items in our future. Occasionally they will resemble the rizzuloa (the arancina, a deep fried rice ball filled with ragu’, for example), sometimes they will not (panelle). What is certain, however, is that we are very very lucky that Diana’s husband is a cardiologist because after this week, we will certainly need one.
Categories: Carbs, Fried Foods, Gastronomic Traditions, Meat, Rome & Lazio, Sicily
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December 2nd, 2009 at 3:41 am[...] was a month of firsts: first meat donut, first lamb evisceration, first Setteveli, and first olive harvest. Last weekend, I visited my [...]
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June 19th, 2010 at 7:17 pm[...] Rizzuole are balls of risen dough stuffed with ragu’. Look for them at the Sicilian gastronomia Cu Mangia Crisci. [...]
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have a great time. that delicacy looks divine, i have never had it, but i think it could easily become a fave.
November 17th, 2009 at 2:40 pmHAPPY TRAILS! And have some fried delights for me – I can smell the panelle frying. Rizzuola looks fantastica – cant wait to taste it. I see a trip to Italia in my near future!
November 17th, 2009 at 4:09 pmSo jealous…I don’t know if you will make it as far south as Agrigento but there is a very special street food that my mother in law’s family (from Aragona) loves called ‘mbrugliate, which are curled, pastry pouches usually stuffed with either meat or cheese and anchovies. Very tasty…
November 17th, 2009 at 7:10 pm@shayma they are spectacular. you would love them.
@mamma parla i certainly will eat fried food for you, me and everyone else i know.
@megan wont make it south of palermo this time but ‘mbrugliate are calling my name.
November 18th, 2009 at 8:44 pm