Suppli al Telefono

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil (Source states 1–2 tablespoons.)
• 1 garlic (Clove kept whole and removed after cooking.)
• 0.875 cup tomato puree
• 0.75 cup Arborio rice (Uncooked.)
• 3 cup vegetable broth (Source states 3–4 cups; use hot broth, added 1–2 ladles at a time.)
• 0.25 tsp salt (Source states ¼–½ teaspoon; adjust to taste.)
• 1 dash black pepper (Source states 1–2 dashes.)
• 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese (Freshly grated.)
• 1 fresh mozzarella (Small mozzarella; slice into thick strips.)
• 1 egg (Large and beaten for coating.)
• 0.5 cup bread crumbs (For coating.)
• vegetable oil (For frying; heat approximately 2 inches in a medium pot.)

Steps

1. 1

   Heat the olive oil in a medium or large frying pan. Add the whole garlic clove and tomato puree, and cook for approximately 10 minutes.

2. 2

   Remove the garlic clove from the pan.

3. 3

   Add the uncooked Arborio rice, stir, and cook for 1 minute.

4. 4

   Add the hot vegetable broth 1–2 ladles at a time, stirring often, until the rice is cooked but not mushy and the mixture is creamy but free of excess liquid.

5. 5

   Add the black pepper and taste the rice mixture for salt. Adjust the salt as needed.

6. 6

   Stir in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Transfer the mixture to a clean bowl and let it cool completely.

7. 7

   Measure approximately 1½ heaping tablespoons of the cooled rice mixture into the palm of your hand. Place a thick strip of mozzarella in the center, then mold the mixture into an oblong shape, ensuring the mozzarella is completely covered. Add a little more rice mixture if needed to close it. Set the formed suppli on a clean plate and repeat until all are shaped.

8. 8

   Beat the egg in a small bowl. Place the bread crumbs on a plate.

9. 9

   Roll each suppli first in the beaten egg, coating it well, and then in the bread crumbs, coating it thoroughly. Set aside until all the suppli are coated.

10. 10

    Heat approximately 2 inches of vegetable oil in a medium pot to 350°F (175°C).

11. 11

    Fry the suppli, turning them a few times, until golden brown. Keep the oil as close to 350°F (175°C) as possible so the suppli do not cook too quickly and the mozzarella becomes soft and stringy.

12. 12

    Remove the fried suppli with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate covered with paper towels. Serve immediately.

Notes

The recipe yields 6 suppli. The source notes that the suppli can be made smaller if desired and recommends wearing gloves because shaping the rice mixture is messy. The source also mentions an air-fryer variation from a reader response: preheat to 375–400°F (190–200°C) for about 3 minutes, arrange the prepared suppli in a single layer, lightly spray with oil, air-fry about 6 minutes, shake or rotate, then air-fry about 6 minutes more until crisp; this is not the primary cooking method.

Nutrition per serving

• appetizer
• snack
• Italian
• Roman
• street food
• vegetarian
• fried
• mozzarella-filled