Equipment
Ingredients
Ragù and Rice Base
- 30 ml olive oil, extra virgin
- 1 yellow onion, finely minced
- 200 g ground beef, 80/20 blend preferred
- 300 ml tomato passata, smooth tomato puree
- 300 g arborio rice
- 600 ml beef broth, hot
- g kosher salt
- g black pepper
Finishing and Filling
- 30 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 50 g parmigiano reggiano, finely grated
- 100 g low-moisture mozzarella, cut into 12 sticks, roughly 1x3 cm
Breading and Frying
- 100 g all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 150 g fine breadcrumbs, unseasoned
- 2000 ml neutral frying oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 308 kcal
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbohydrates
- 39 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 573 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 45 mg
- Potassium
- 169 mg
- Calcium
- 143 mg
- Iron
- 1.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 20 mg
- Phosphorus
- 181 mg
- Zinc
- 1.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 58 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 3 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.16 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.16 mg
- Niacin
- 1.8 mg
- Folate
- 26 mcg
- Water
- 73 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the minced onion and saute until translucent and soft.
Increase heat to medium-high and add the ground beef. Cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until fully browned and no pink remains. Ensure the beef reaches a safe internal handling temperature of 74C/165F.
Pour in the tomato passata, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook until the sauce thickens and the flavors meld.
Stir the arborio rice directly into the meat and tomato sauce. Gradually add the hot beef broth, one ladle at a time, stirring frequently. Allow the liquid to absorb before adding more. Continue until the rice is tender but retains a slight bite (al dente).
Remove the pot from the heat. Vigorously stir in the butter and grated parmigiano reggiano until fully melted and combined. Spread the rice mixture evenly onto a baking sheet and let it cool completely to room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill thoroughly.
Take a handful of the chilled rice mixture (about 80g) and flatten it in your wet palm. Place a stick of mozzarella in the center, then fold the rice around the cheese to completely enclose it. Shape it into a slightly elongated oval.
Set up a breading station with three wide shallow bowls: one for flour, one for beaten eggs, and one for breadcrumbs. Roll each rice ball in flour (tapping off excess), dip thoroughly in the egg, and coat completely in breadcrumbs.
Heat frying oil in a deep pot to exactly 170C/340F. Carefully lower the supplì into the hot oil in batches, avoiding overcrowding. Fry until deep golden brown and crispy.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fried supplì to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain excess oil. Serve warm to ensure the cheese center stretches when pulled apart.
Chef's Notes
- Using low-moisture mozzarella is essential. Fresh mozzarella releases too much water during frying, which will cause the supplì to explode.
- Wet your hands slightly with cold water before shaping the rice balls. This prevents the starchy rice from sticking to your palms and makes forming a tight seal much easier.
- Do not overcrowd the frying pot. Frying too many supplì at once will drastically drop the oil temperature, leading to greasy, oil-logged croquettes.
- Unlike Arancini which use leftover white risotto, traditional Roman Supplì are cooked directly in the meat and tomato sauce, ensuring every grain of rice absorbs the savory flavor.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container lined with paper towels.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze breaded but unfried, or fully fried and completely cooled. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat in an oven at 180C/350F for 15 minutes until crispy and the cheese center is melted.
Troubleshooting
Supplì burst open while deep frying
Cause: The rice mixture was not cold enough when shaped, or the cheese was not fully encased.
Fix: Remove burst supplì immediately. Chill remaining unfried supplì for another 30 minutes and double-check their seal.
Prevention: Ensure the rice is completely chilled in the refrigerator before shaping. Inspect each ball for gaps before breading.
Cheese center does not melt completely
Cause: The frying oil was too hot, cooking the exterior before the heat could reach the center.
Fix: Transfer cooked but unmelted supplì to an oven set at 180C/350F for 5-8 minutes to finish melting the cheese without over-darkening the crust.
Prevention: Maintain a steady frying temperature of exactly 170C/340F. Use a reliable deep fry thermometer.
Rice falls apart during shaping
Cause: Too much broth was added, making the rice mushy, or the mixture was shaped while still warm.
Fix: Stir extra grated parmigiano or a handful of breadcrumbs into the cold rice mixture to absorb moisture and provide binding.
Prevention: Cook rice to al dente, ensuring all excess liquid is absorbed or evaporated. Always chill completely.
Cultural Context
Supplì al telefono is an iconic Roman street food. The name 'al telefono' translates to 'on the telephone', a playful reference to the way the melted mozzarella cheese stretches into a long string between the two halves when pulled apart, resembling old-fashioned telephone wires. Originally sold by vendors wandering the streets of Rome with large copper pots, they remain a staple in Roman pizzerias to this day.
