Supplì
Supplì (pronounced [supˈpli]; Italianization of the French word surprise) are Italian snacks consisting of a ball of rice (generally risotto) with tomato sauce, typical of Roman cuisine.[1][2]
 Supplì of rice | |
| Type | Snack |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Italy |
| Region or state | Lazio |
| Main ingredients | Mozzarella, rice, sometimes tomato sauce, eggs, bread crumbs |
Etymology
The name is first attested in the 19th century, and is a corruption of the term en surprise, which is used in French cuisine for all kind of croquettes or pieces of meat covered with bread crumbs.[3]
Description
Originally, they were filled with chicken giblets, mincemeat or provatura (a kind of cheese from Lazio),[1] now also with a piece of mozzarella; the whole morsel is soaked in egg, coated with bread crumbs and then fried (usually deep fried).[1] They are closely related to Sicilian arancini and the French croquettes sometimes called croquettes en surprise[4] that can be made with rice.[5] Supplì can be also prepared without tomato sauce (supplì in bianco "white-style supplì").
They are usually eaten with the fingers: when one is broken in two pieces, mozzarella is drawn out in a string somewhat resembling the cord connecting a telephone handset to the hook. This has led to these dishes being known as supplì al telefono ("telephone-style supplì", in reference to cables).[6]
Supplì were originally sold at friggitorie, typical Roman shops where fried food was sold. Now they are commonly served in most pizzerias all around Italy as an antipasto.
References
- Boni 1983, p. 76
- Carnacina & Buonassisi 1975, p. 117
- Larousse (2017). Le grand Larousse gastronomique (in French). Larousse. ISBN 978-2-03-594805-2.
- Larned, Linda (August 2008). Hostess of To-Day. Applewood Books. ISBN 978-1-4290-1233-1.
- Carême, Marie-Antoine (1815). Le Pâtissier royal parisien ou Traité élémentaire et pratique de la pâtisserie ancienne et moderne,...: suivi d'observations utiles aux progrès de cet art, d'une série de plus de soixante menus et d'une revue critique des grands bals de 1810 et 1811 (in French). J. G. Dentu.
- Boni 1983, p. 77
Sources
- Boni, Ada (1983) [1930]. La Cucina Romana [Roman Cuisine] (in Italian). Rome: Newton Compton Editori.
- Carnacina, Luigi; Buonassisi, Vincenzo (1975). Roma in Cucina [Rome in the Kitchen] (in Italian). Milan: Giunti Martello.
Further reading
- Connelly, Michael Alan (December 18, 2014). "20 Must-Try Street Foods Around the World". Fodor's. Retrieved July 24, 2016.
