Supplì al telefono — Rome’s rice croquettes with a mozzarella heart

Supplì al telefono is the most beloved snack of Roman cuisine: rice croquettes with tomato sauce, filled with mozzarella that, when broken in half, stretches like a telephone wire — hence the name. According to Roman tradition, supplì were once sold in friggitorie, the fried-food shops, and today they are served as an antipasto in pizzerias across Italy. The name “supplì” comes from the French “surprise,” a legacy of the Napoleonic period in Rome.

Ingredients (for about 12 pieces):

• 300 g Arborio rice
• 750 ml tomato passata
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 50 g grated Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano)
• 200 g fior di latte mozzarella, cut into cubes and well drained
• salt and black pepper to taste
• For the coating: flour, 2 eggs, breadcrumbs
• Oil for deep frying

Preparation steps:

1. Make the sauce: fry the garlic and onion in olive oil until softened, add the tomato passata, salt and a pinch of sugar; simmer until the sauce thickens well.
2. Boil the rice in salted water, drain it al dente and mix it with the tomato sauce and the Parmesan; spread it in a thin layer on a tray to cool completely (up to 1 hour in the fridge).
3. Cut the mozzarella into cubes and drain well to remove excess liquid.
4. Take a spoonful of rice, flatten it in your palm, place a mozzarella cube in the middle and close it, forming oval croquettes; press them firmly.
5. Roll the croquettes in turn in flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs; let them rest for 15 minutes.
6. Heat the oil to 175°C and fry the supplì, 3–4 at a time, until golden (3–4 minutes).
7. Drain on kitchen paper, salt lightly and serve hot — when broken in half, the mozzarella stretches like a telephone wire.

Preparation time: 25 minutes (plus 1 hour of cooling). Cooking time: about 50 minutes. Servings: about 12 pieces.