Supplì al Telefono

Supplì are Roman. Arancini are Sicilian. They are cousins, not twins, and confusing them reveals that you have not been paying attention. The Roman version is smaller, oval, and contains a simple tomato risotto with a heart of fresh mozzarella. The Sicilian version is larger, round, and stuffed with ragù and peas. Both are fried. Both are magnificent. But they are not the same thing.

The name tells you everything. 'Supplì al telefono' means the cheese stretches into wires when you pull the hot rice ball apart. This requires mozzarella that actually melts, not the rubbery supermarket blocks that Americans mistake for cheese. You need fresh mozzarella, preferably fior di latte, cut into cubes small enough to hide inside but large enough to create that glorious pull.

These were once the province of Roman pizza shops and rosticcerie, sold from glass cases to workers who needed something hot and filling. Now they appear on restaurant menus as 'appetizers,' which misses the point entirely. Supplì are street food. They are meant to be eaten standing up, preferably while walking, burning your mouth because you could not wait for them to cool.