Did you know that most recipes on the internet are teaching you to cook your Supplí al Telefono incorrectly? My recipe teaches you the very specific technique you must use to give your rice the perfect texture…. A method that most recipes completely miss.
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The Technique You Need to Know (and why most recipes get it wrong)
It’s true; Any recipe for Supplí (or homemade arancini for that matter) calls for arborio rice as its base. And while arborio rice is the same ingredient that is used to make risotto, the grain should be cooked very differently when you are using it to make supplí!
Most recipes on the internet will call for leftover risotto (like this easy risotto recipe!) as the base of your dish, or even start you off by guiding you through how to make and cool a risotto. However, this is not an authentic Supplí base.
Instead, arborio rice should be cooked like regular rice with sautéed onions, chicken stock, and ragú, without the regular stirring and additional liquid that would turn it into a risotto. This method allows for properly cooked rice that leads to the signature texture of a supplí, but with flavor still infused in every grain.
Key Supplí Ingredients and Why They Matter
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
- Arborio Rice: This recipe will not work as well if you use a different grain of rice. Arborio is extra starchy, so even when it’s not cooked in a risotto manner, it still will stick together better than other rice grains!
- Ragú: Depending on how in-depth you want to get with your recipe, you can either make your ragú from scratch or purchase a jar of already-made sauce. I went with the easy option and bought the sauce… no shame here!
- Grated Cheese: The grated cheese in this recipe is meant to hold the rice grains together a little more, which is why it’s important to get one with a grated texture. It’s traditional to use Pecorino Romano, but I personally prefer the taste of parmesan better, so I went with that. Use whatever your heart desires, just make sure it’s grated, not shredded.
- Mozzarella: Low moisture mozzarella is key here! Buying mozzarella that is still in the liquid will lead to some extra leaky supplí as the water tries to find a way out. Buy a block and then cut it into strips to fit in your oblong shaped supplí.
- Breadcrumbs: Seasoned breadcrumbs aren’t super traditional, but they’re my favorite here. I used Italian style breadcrumbs, but if you have plain, they will also work great! And if you only have plain breadcrumbs but WANT seasoned breadcrumbs, you can add about 1 tsp of an Italian seasoning blend to them and stir before using. Easy peasy.
How to Make Supplì al Telefono
Step 1: Saute some onions, then cook the rice in the onions, chicken stock and ragú until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Do not stir while it cooks.
Step 2: Stir in your grated cheese while the rice is still hot– this will let the cheese melt and give you a bit more of a gluey texture when you need to form balls later.
Step 3: Spread the rice onto a thin baking sheet to cool it completely.
Step 4: Mix eggs into the cold rice, which is what will hold the ball together when the supplí are frying in hot oil.
Step 5: Place some rice in your hand, then add a piece of mozzarella into the center, and then put more rice on top, using your hands to shape it into an oblong shape… Kind of like a very large pill. Make sure your cheese is fully enclosed, then rest all of the rice balls in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Step 6: Coat your breadcrumbs by dipping the chilled rice balls in whisked eggs and then in the breadcrumbs until evenly coated. If you want a super crispy coating, do it a second time! Chill again.
Step 7: Heat oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, then fry the supplí in small batches until they are golden brown and crispy.
Step 8: Drain, then serve warm. Enjoy!
The Secret to that Perfect “al Telefono” Cheese Pull
This recipe is called “al Telefono” because if you do it right, you’ll get a telephone cord-looking string of cheese between two halves of your supplí when you pull it apart/bite into it. And the secret to getting that perfect cheese at the center of your Supplí is actually the temperature of your oil!
If the oil is too hot, the outside of the supplí will burn before the cheese inside warms up enough to get melty. If the oil is too cold, the Roman rice ball will take too long to cook, making it super oily.
350 degrees Fahrenheit is your perfect temperature. Use a thermometer if you have one. If you don’t you can add a wooden chopstick into the oil, and if small bubbles form around the wood within a few seconds, you are good to go. It should take your supplí about 3-5 minutes each to cook.
Make sure to check the temperature between batches, and bring the oil back to 350 before starting a new batch.
Important Tips (don’t skip these)
- My number one most important tip for this recipe is NOT skip the chill time!!! And I can tell you from personal experience… I almost thought that my recipe was a failure when every single ball was falling apart when I tried to egg & bread them. Turns out, I had forgotten to chill them. As soon as I left them in the fridge for 30 minutes, the process was seamless. This can truly make or break your experience!
- Some Italian grandmas will coat their Supplí in a flour + water blend… 50% water, 50% all purpose flour. If you really want an authentic version, try it that way and let me know what you think!
- For easy shaping, get your hands damp when assembling. I don’t mean soaking wet… rather, you want a thin, damp layer on your hands. I kept a small bowl of water near my assembly station and would dip my hands between every 2 or so balls. This will keep the rice from sticking to your hands.
- The assembly process will be messy and there will be grains of rice everywhere. This is just part of the process. The important thing is that you have rice balls that stick together, which is, again, why chilling is vital.
- Feel free to play around and experiment with the sauces & fillings. There was a little cafe near my home in Rome that would serve carbonara, cacio e pepe, and even gricia-flavored Supplí!
How to Serve Supplì
These are usually served as a street food, eaten as a quick on-the-go snack. Serve it as an appetizer before an Italian Dinner!
It would be great before a meal of sausage and peppers, alongside some homemade pasta with Italian meatballs, or before a dessert of cannoli dip or tiramisu!
Recipe FAQs
Definitely! I would recommend prepping them entirely up until the frying step and then leaving them in the fridge for a few days or in the freezer for a few months before frying. If you have frozen your supplí, allow them to thaw in the fridge before frying.
To reheat your supplí, I would highly recommend placing them in the air fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 3-5 minutes. If you do not have an air fryer, you can place them in the oven at the same temperature for about 5-10 minutes until warmed through.
Because of the nature of supplí being a street food, it is usually not served with sauce because the sauce is cooked right into it! However, if you want a dipping sauce, they would be great if served with a simple marinara.
Did you enjoy this recipe for Roman Supplí? If so, make sure to check out these other Italian recipes I picked out just for you:
If you tried this Supplí al Telefono Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Supplí al Telefono (Roman Rice Balls Stuffed with Cheese)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 cups Arborio rice
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 cup ragù
- 1 cup chicken stock (or water)
- ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano (or Parmesan)
- 3 eggs
Assembly Ingredients
- 6 oz mozzarella, cut into small strips
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups seasoned breadcrumbs
- vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
- In a medium pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped ¼ yellow onion and sauté until soft and translucent.
- Add the 2 cups Arborio rice and stir for 1–2 minutes to lightly toast. Season with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper.
- Pour in the 1 cup ragù and 1 cup chicken stock (or water), stirring briefly to combine. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Do not stir while it cooks.
- Remove the rice from the heat and stir in ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano (or Parmesan) while still hot.
- Spread the rice thinly onto a baking sheet to stop the cooking process and allow it to cool for about 15 minutes at room temperature. Then transfer to the refrigerator and chill until completely cold.
- Place the cold rice in a large bowl and mix in the 3 eggs until fully combined.
- With damp hands, take about 2 tablespoons of rice and flatten it slightly in your palm. Add a piece of 1 strip of mozzarella in the center, then cover with 2 more tablespoons of rice and shape into an oblong oval (the shape should resemble a pill but should be much larger), making sure the cheese is fully enclosed. Repeat with remaining rice.
- Arrange the shaped supplì on a tray and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until firm.
- Prepare a coating by whisking the 3 eggs in one shallow bowl. Place the 2 cups seasoned breadcrumbs in a separate shallow bowl.
- Dip each supplì into the eggs, then roll in the breadcrumbs until evenly coated. For a thicker crust, repeat the coating and breadcrumb step a second time. Return to the refrigerator for another 30–60 minutes.
- Heat vegetable oil in a deep pot to 350°F. Fry the supplì in batches for 3–5 minutes, turning as needed, until golden brown and crisp on all sides. The centers should be heated through (about 150 degrees Fahrenheit) and the cheese melted.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
- Arborio Rice: This recipe will not work as well if you use a different grain of rice. Arborio is extra starchy, so even when it’s not cooked in a risotto manner, it still will stick together better than other rice grains!
- Ragú: Depending on how in-depth you want to get with your recipe, you can either make your ragú from scratch or purchase a jar of already-made sauce. I went with the easy option and bought the sauce… no shame here!
- Grated Cheese: The grated cheese in this recipe is meant to hold the rice grains together a little more, which is why it’s important to get one with a grated texture. It’s traditional to use Pecorino Romano, but I personally prefer the taste of parmesan better, so I went with that. Use whatever your heart desires, just make sure it’s grated, not shredded.
- Mozzarella: Low moisture mozzarella is key here! Buying mozzarella that is still in the liquid will lead to some extra leaky supplí as the water tries to find a way out. Buy a block and then cut it into strips to fit in your oblong shaped supplí.
- Breadcrumbs: Seasoned breadcrumbs aren’t super traditional, but they’re my favorite here. I used Italian style breadcrumbs, but if you have plain, they will also work great! And if you only have plain breadcrumbs but WANT seasoned breadcrumbs, you can add about 1 tsp of an Italian seasoning blend to them and stir before using. Easy peasy.
- My number one most important tip for this recipe is NOT skip the chill time!!! And I can tell you from personal experience… I almost thought that my recipe was a failure when every single ball was falling apart when I tried to egg & bread them. Turns out, I had forgotten to chill them. As soon as I left them in the fridge for 30 minutes, the process was seamless. This can truly make or break your experience!
- Some Italian grandmas will coat their Supplí in a flour + water blend… 50% water, 50% all purpose flour. If you really want an authentic version, try it that way and let me know what you think!
- For easy shaping, get your hands damp when assembling. I don’t mean soaking wet… rather, you want a thin, damp layer on your hands. I kept a small bowl of water near my assembly station and would dip my hands between every 2 or so balls. This will keep the rice from sticking to your hands.
- The assembly process will be messy and there will be grains of rice everywhere. This is just part of the process. The important thing is that you have rice balls that stick together, which is, again, why chilling is vital.
- Feel free to play around and experiment with the sauces & fillings. There was a little cafe near my home in Rome that would serve carbonara, cacio e pepe, and even gricia-flavored Supplí!
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