Arancine Alla Bolognese

Up until we opened Mozza I had eaten only meatless versions of arancine. Those I’d had were mostly in cichetti, the shoebox-size stand-up wine and stuzzichini bars in Venice, where cone-shaped versions are a staple, and in Sicily, where they’re much larger and round, like a tangerine. Both were made of plain risotto with cheese in the middle. In Rome, arancine are often called “suppli al telefono,” meaning telephone cords, because the ideal is that the cheese inside melts and stretches like an old-fashioned telephone cord. Matt and I worked hard to achieve that ideal and I think we did. I suggest you make these when you have leftover bolognese because, as good as they are, it would be a herculean effort to make bolognese for just the 1/2 cup you need to make these. Besides, that is what an Italian grandmother would do.