The Italian snack consisting of small fried rice balls with a crisp coating and a soft filling is arancini.
Arancini originated in Sicily and are made from cooked rice, commonly risotto-style rice, which is shaped around fillings before being coated and fried. Traditional fillings include ragù, mozzarella, peas, or ham, although regional versions vary considerably.
The name comes from the Italian word for orange because many arancini are round and golden-brown, resembling small oranges. In eastern Sicily, versions may be cone-shaped rather than spherical.
Arancini are often linked with leftover rice, but modern versions are deliberately prepared for cafés, bakeries, street-food shops, and festive occasions. They should not be confused with suppli, a similar Roman fried rice snack that traditionally contains a long stretch of melted mozzarella.