Supplì, Rome's ultimate fried food, are as famous inside the Italian capital as they are unknown outside. Excellent as an appetizer and or simply on their own, supplì haven't received their due credit outside of Rome. Of course, the national recognition of its "competitor,” Sicilian arancini, hasn't helped. So for better or for worse, supplì continues to be appreciated almost exclusively among the majesty and (beautiful) chaos of Rome.

The difference from arancini

Roman supplì are shaped like an elongated meatball and comprise a heart of mozzarella encased by rice and meat sauce. Arancini, on the other hand, take on many forms. They are larger and fillings vary as does the breading. Supplì are dipped in egg before frying to keep the breadcrumbs taut while the batter is used for arancini instead. The original Roman recipe calls for a sauce made from chicken giblets (durelli and fagatini), though nowadays, the sauce is usually made from minced beef.