Supplì al Telefono (Italian Roman Tomato Rice Croquettes)

Traditional Italian Roman Tomato Rice Croquettes with Mozzarella

Story of the Dish

Region: Lazio

Traditional area: Roma

Course: Antipasto, Street Food

Serves: 6

Yield: Approximately 18 Supplì

Supplì are one of the great symbols of Roman street food. Crisp and deeply golden outside, creamy and savory inside, they are traditionally made with rice cooked in a tomato based meat sauce, enriched with Parmigiano Reggiano and wrapped around a heart of mozzarella.

The classic name Supplì al Telefono comes from what happens when a freshly fried supplì is broken into two pieces. The hot mozzarella stretches between the halves like the cord of an old telephone.

A proper Roman supplì is not simply a generic rice ball. The rice should be deeply flavored, the shape elongated rather than perfectly round, the breading thin and crisp, and the mozzarella concentrated at the center.

Recipe Information

Region: Lazio

Yield: Approximately 18 Supplì

Ingredients

For the Rice

2 cups Carnaroli rice

6 ounces ground beef

3 ounces chicken livers, finely chopped, optional but traditional in richer versions

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 small celery stalk, finely chopped

1 small carrot, finely chopped

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 half cup dry white wine

2 cups tomato passata

Approximately 4 cups light beef or chicken stock, kept hot

3 quarters cup Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated

Fine sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

For the Mozzarella Center

8 ounces low moisture mozzarella or well drained fior di latte

For Breading

1 cup all purpose flour

3 large eggs

2 cups fine breadcrumbs

For Frying

Peanut oil, as needed

Preparation

Preparing the Ragù Base

Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium low heat.

Add the onion, carrot, and celery.

Cook slowly for approximately 8 to 10 minutes, until completely tender.

Do not aggressively brown the vegetables.

Add the ground beef.

Increase the heat slightly and cook until the meat loses its raw appearance and begins developing light coloration.

If using chicken livers, add them now.

Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.

The liver should disappear almost completely into the meat mixture.

Deglazing

Add the white wine.

Cook until the alcohol has evaporated and the liquid has reduced substantially.

Add the tomato passata.

Season lightly with salt and black pepper.

Cook gently for approximately 10 minutes.

The sauce should become concentrated before the rice is introduced.

Cooking the Rice

Add the Carnaroli rice directly to the sauce.

Stir thoroughly so every grain becomes coated.

Begin adding the hot stock gradually.

Unlike risotto intended for immediate service, the rice for supplì should ultimately become relatively compact and cohesive.

Continue cooking for approximately 15 to 17 minutes, adding stock as needed.

The rice should be cooked but retain enough structure to avoid becoming mushy.

The final mixture should be considerably drier than conventional risotto.

There should be no loose liquid remaining.

Finishing the Rice

Remove the pan from the heat.

Add the butter.

Add the Parmigiano Reggiano.

Mix thoroughly.

Taste and adjust salt and black pepper.

Spread the rice immediately onto a large sheet pan in a relatively thin layer.

This allows it to cool rapidly and evenly.

Refrigerate until completely cold, preferably for at least 2 hours.

For restaurant production, preparing the rice the previous day works extremely well.

Preparing the Mozzarella

Cut the mozzarella into sticks approximately 2 inches long and one half inch thick.

Drain thoroughly.

This is critical.

Excessive moisture from the mozzarella can weaken the rice structure and create problems during frying.

Keep refrigerated until ready to assemble.

Shaping the Supplì

Wet your hands lightly with cold water.

Take approximately 3 tablespoons of cold rice.

Flatten it gently in your palm.

Place one mozzarella stick in the center.

Fold the rice completely around the cheese.

Shape into the traditional elongated form, approximately 3 to 4 inches long.

The supplì should resemble a small cylinder or oval rather than a perfectly round ball.

Compress gently enough that it holds together, but do not crush the rice into a dense paste.

Continue with the remaining mixture.

Breading

Prepare three shallow containers.

Place flour in the first.

Beat the eggs in the second.

Place fine breadcrumbs in the third.

Roll each supplì lightly in flour.

Shake away the excess.

Pass through the beaten egg.

Coat evenly with breadcrumbs.

The breading should cover the entire surface without becoming excessively thick.

Place the breaded supplì on a tray.

Refrigerate for approximately 30 minutes before frying.

This helps stabilize the shape and breading.

Frying

Heat peanut oil to 350°F.

The oil should be deep enough for the supplì to float freely.

Fry in small batches.

Do not overcrowd the fryer.

Cook for approximately 3 to 4 minutes, turning when necessary.

The exterior should become deeply golden and crisp.

The center must become hot enough to melt the mozzarella completely.

Remove with a spider or slotted spoon.

Drain briefly on a wire rack or absorbent paper.

Season very lightly with fine sea salt.

Rest approximately 1 minute before serving.

The Telephone Test

Take one freshly fried supplì.

Allow it to rest briefly so it is safe to handle.

Break it carefully in half.

Slowly separate the two pieces.

The mozzarella should stretch between them in a long strand.

This is the classic filo del telefono, the telephone cord that gives Supplì al Telefono their name.

If the mozzarella does not stretch, it may have been too dry, insufficiently heated, or distributed incorrectly.

Correct Texture

The crust should be thin and extremely crisp.

Immediately underneath, the rice should remain moist and savory.

Individual grains should still be recognizable.

The tomato and meat flavor should penetrate the rice rather than exist as a separate sauce.

At the center, the mozzarella should be completely molten.

The supplì should never be greasy.

Restaurant Mise en Place

Supplì are extremely suitable for advance preparation.

Cook and cool the rice the previous day.

Shape and bread the supplì before service.

Keep refrigerated.

Fry strictly to order.

Do not fry large batches and hold them for extended periods.

The contrast between crisp breading, hot rice, and flowing mozzarella disappears rapidly.

Traditional Roman Service

Serve the supplì immediately in a simple paper cone, small plate, or basket.

For an antipasto, serve 2 or 3 per guest, depending on size.

Traditionally, they need no sauce.

A correctly prepared supplì already contains tomato, meat, Parmigiano Reggiano, and mozzarella.

Refined Restaurant Plating

Place three freshly fried supplì on a warm ceramic plate.

Leave two whole.

Cut the third cleanly in half immediately before sending the plate.

Position the halves slightly apart so the molten mozzarella remains visible.

A small spoonful of concentrated tomato sauce may be placed beneath one supplì if desired, but keep it restrained.

Finish with finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

No excessive garnish is necessary.

The golden crust and molten center provide the visual impact.

Chef Tips

Use Carnaroli rice. It provides excellent structure while maintaining a creamy interior.

Cook the rice relatively dry. Loose risotto cannot be shaped properly.

Cool completely before shaping. Warm rice makes assembly difficult.

Drain the mozzarella aggressively. Excess water is one of the most common causes of splitting.

Keep the mozzarella in the center. Cheese touching the exterior can escape during frying.

Do not make the breading too thick. The crust should protect the rice without dominating it.

Refrigerate after breading. This greatly improves stability.

Maintain 350°F frying temperature. Low temperature produces oily supplì, while excessive heat browns the crust before the center becomes hot.

Supplì and Arancini Are Not the Same Dish

Supplì are sometimes described outside Italy as Roman arancini, but this ignores important differences.

Traditional Roman supplì are generally elongated, smaller, and strongly associated with tomato flavored rice and mozzarella.

Sicilian arancini or arancine have their own history, regional variations, shapes, fillings, and preparation techniques.

Both belong to Italy's extraordinary tradition of fried rice preparations, but each should retain its own identity.

Wine Pairing

Frascati Superiore — Roman acidity and almond-like freshness cut through the fried crust and melted mozzarella.

Cesanese del Piglio — juicy red fruit and moderate tannin work with tomato-rich rice without overpowering the supplì.

Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo — vibrant cherry fruit and freshness make an excellent bridge between frying, tomato and cheese.

Lambrusco di Sorbara — bubbles and acidity cleanse the palate after each crisp, cheesy bite.

Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi — citrus, herbs and a savory finish balance mozzarella and fried breadcrumbs.

Professional Technique

Cook the rice in a concentrated tomato base until tender but still structured, then cool it completely before shaping. Cold rice is easier to compact around the mozzarella and produces a cleaner croquette. Keep the cheese centered so it does not leak during frying. Bread the supplì evenly and let them rest briefly before frying so the coating adheres. Fry at about 350°F in small batches, maintaining oil temperature between additions.

Mistakes to Avoid

Do not shape with warm rice, overfill with mozzarella, or fry in oil that is too cool. Avoid oversized supplì, which brown outside before the cheese melts. Do not hold fried supplì for long periods; the crust softens and the mozzarella loses its characteristic stretch.

Nutrition per Serving

Calories: approximately 360 kcal. Protein: 12 g. Carbohydrates: 44 g. Fat: 15 g. Saturated Fat: 5 g. Fiber: 2 g. Sugars: 3 g. Sodium: 520 mg. Cholesterol: 35 mg.

Storage and Reheating

Unfried supplì can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before breading and frying. Cooked supplì are best eaten immediately, but leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and reheated in a hot oven or air fryer until crisp and heated through. Avoid microwave reheating because it softens the crust.

Chef Gianluca