Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the onions and cook until translucent. Add the beef, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned. Stir in the tomato sauce and peas, if using. Season with salt and black pepper and simmer for around 20 minutes until thickened. Set aside to cool.
Heat a splash of olive oil in a medium pan over a medium heat. Add the rice and toast it lightly for 2-3 minutes. Gradually add the vegetable stock, stirring continuously, and cook for 15-20 minutes until the rice is fully cooked and creamy. Remove from the heat, stir in the grated cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. Allow the rice to cool to room temperature, then put in the fridge until completely cold.
To form the arancini, take about 60g of the cold rice and flatten it on your palm. Place a small spoonful of the meat sauce and a few pieces of diced mozzarella in the centre. Enclose the filling with the rice, forming a tightly packed ball. Repeat this process until all the ingredients are used up. The trick is to mould the rice carefully in your cupped hand to create a hollow that holds as much ragù as possible and then close the mould carefully, shaping as if you were cradling a ball. Once shaped and crumbed, it can be kept for up to 2 days in the fridge before frying.
When ready to cook, put the flour, beaten eggs and breadcrumbs in three separate shallow bowls. First, roll each rice ball in the flour, then dip in the beaten eggs and finally coat with breadcrumbs.
Heat the oil in a deep fat fryer or a deep frying pan (it should be no more than half full) to 180C and fry the arancini, in batches, for 4–5 minutes until golden brown and heated through. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper to remove excess oil.
Serve hot with salad and the slow-cooked tomato sauce on the side, if using.
For the basic tomato sauce:
Pour the tomatoes into a large bowl and crush them with your hands, removing any hard parts or skin residues, if you prefer a rustic texture. For a smoother texture, pass the tomatoes through a food mill. Add the salt and mix well to ensure the salt is evenly distributed before using in your recipe.
Recipes and photographs taken from Napoli on the Road by Michele Pascarella, photography by Steven Joyce (Ryland, Peters & Small, £20)
