In Rome, the supplì is an institution, albeit one that’s not very ancient.
According to some, the term derives from the French “surpris”, a legacy of the Napoleonic passage in the capital.
In mid-1800 the supplì was a street food. The vendors of supplì used to go around the alleys of Rome with a frying pan filled with oil, screaming: “Hot Hot! Rice Supplì! “.
Today in Rome, the supplì can be found on the menus of all pizzerias, in many restaurants, and in several bakery shops.
The supplì is eaten before pizza, as a snack, or as a street food: it is hot and, when well-prepared, makes the “telephone”: a very long string of mozzarella
This is my recipe.

Authentic Roman Supplì “on the phone”

  • Preparation time: 90 minutes
  • Ingredients for 16 supplì
  • Difficulty: Average difficulty recipe

  • Ingredients
  • 300 grams of arborio rice
  • 300 grams of sauce
  • 1/2 glass of wine
  • Grated parmesan to taste
  • 1 knob of butter
  • Extra virgin olive oil to taste
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 mozzarella cheese
  • For the sauce:
  • 200 grams of pureed peeled tomatoes
  • 200 grams of minced meat
  • 50 grams of chicken giblets (optional)
  • 1 small piece of carrot
  • 1 small piece of celery
  • 1 small piece of onion
  • Extra virgin olive oil to taste
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • For the breading:
  • Breadcrumbs to taste
  • Peanut oil for frying to taste
  1. Instructions
  2. Clean and cut the chicken giblets.
  3. In a pan with the oil, fry the finely chopped carrot, onion, and celery over a low heat.
  4. Add the minced meat together with the thinly sliced ​​chicken giblets and cook over high heat. As soon as the meat has a hazelnut color, add the peeled tomatoes and let the sauce cook for about forty minutes.
  5. After this time, in a pan, dry the rice toast until the rice grain becomes translucent and almost transparent. Add the wine and let it evaporate. Add the meat sauce.
  6. Cook the risotto in the sauce and then add three ladles of boiling water. Continue cooking by adding the water one ladle at a time until absorbed.
  7. When the risotto is just over halfway through cooking, and therefore very al dente, remove it from the heat. Stir in the cold butter and Parmesan. Pour it into a baking tray and cover it with parchment paper. Let it cool down and then put it in the refrigerator for at least twelve hours.
  8. The next day, place the breadcrumbs in one dish.
  9. Cut the mozzarella into sticks.
  10. Into the palm of your hand, measure out approximately 1 1/2 heaping tablespoon of the rice mixture. Place a stick of cut mozzarella in the middle and mold into an oblong shape, making sure that the mozzarella is completely covered. Set aside on a clean plate until all the supplì are formed.
  11. Pass the supplì in the breadcrumbs.
  12. In a medium pot, heat the vegetable oil until it reaches the correct temperature. Fry the supplì a couple at a time, turning a few times until golden brown. Make sure to keep the oil as close to 350°F as possible or the supplì will cook too quickly and the mozzarella will not become soft and stringy.
  13. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plate covered with paper towels.
  14. Season with salt and serve very hot.

Tips to ensure the success of the dish:

  • It is a myth that supplì are used to recycle leftover risotto. The risotto must not be undercooked, otherwise it will overcook once fried.
  • Always leave the rice in the refrigerator for at least a few hours, because then it will be nice and will not crush in frying.
  • Form the supplì with slightly moistened hands.
  • Always use a thermometer to measure the oil temperature. It is an inexpensive tool and is useful for not letting the oil exceed the smoke point.