What is the difference between arancino and arancina?

In Sicily the terms orange e rice ball continue to be protagonists of a real question, but understand if it exists and what it is difference between them is not simple. Lingua, tradition, recipes e geographical area are at the basis of the distinction, but, although even the Academy of Bran intervened, the discussion remains open.

A historical dish

To understand the difference between arancino and arancina, it is necessary to start from origins of the recipe. The controversies they begin on the other hand, already from this aspect. In fact, many trace the tasty rice balls back to the period of domination carbetween the 9th and 11th centuries. It seems, in fact, that it was the tradition of this people to form saffron rice balls and then season them with lamb meat and give them the Name of fruits. Since Sicily is rich in oranges that would justify the link. However, there is no real evidence and the first attestations of the existence of the recipe are dated nineteenth century. Croquettes, originally sweet, are mentioned as orangea dialectal term which then gave rise to the dispute.

Do you say arancino or arancina?

To understand the difference between arancino and arancina, clarifying the linguistic controversy is a good idea. Today, in fact, the second term is used a Palermo and in the western part of the island, while the former is more common in eastern Sicily, in the region of Catania. L’Crusade Academy has, however, tried to resolve the dispute by stating that the timbale owes its name to the analogy with the fruit. Given the distinction that in Italian assigns the masculine to the tree and the female to the latter, arancina would seem more correct. The oldest literary citation of the recipe, by Federico De Roberto who in the vicere writes: “rice balls as big as a melon each”, would support the thesis. The denomination arancino would, instead, be attributed to translation of the dialect term.

What is the difference between arancino and arancina?

Although arancino and arancina basically indicate the same dish, among the recipes that are associated with one or the other term there is now more than one difference. First of all, the arancina has a shape round, probably connected to the analogy with the fruit that emerges from the name. The arancino, on the other hand, is more a puntawith a conformation that, according to tradition, is a tribute to theEtna. The original recipe proposes the use of rice al pomodoro o al ragout. However, the Palermitan version provides for the essential presence of the saffron which gives the typical yellow color inside the croquette. Today the tasty meatballs are also made with rice-based filling normawith pistachio or topped with cream and ham, peas and others ingredients.

Although there is a concrete difference between arancino and arancina, the tasty croquettes remain one of the street food most loved in the Peninsula. Born as poor dishfrom the need to keep rice longer, they have now also become protagonists in the kitchens of chef starry. Breading and diatribes on fryingas per tradition, or cooked al ovenadd more fuel to the fire.