Tagliolini pasta arancini (croquettes) from Naples

Tagliolini pasta arancini (croquettes) from Naples.

Crochette di tagliolini.

In Italian, these tagliolini pasta arancini (croquettes)  are also known as crochette di tagliolini or ordura di tagliolini. They are a popular first course or street food  in Naples, which date back to the 1800s.  Made with filled egg pasta nests that are then breaded and fried, these balls of pastaliciousness will win you over on the first bite!

(click to go straight to recipe)

Neapolitan street food.

Naples is famous for its street food which includes many specialties, the most well-known of which is, of course, pizza! However, there are also many fried treats such as simple pastries (zeppulelle), fried dough balls (pasta cresciuta),  potato croquettes (panzarotti), fried polenta triangles (scagliuòzz), fiorilli and seaweed in batter (pizzelle i ciurill), fried pizza and the very popular frittatine di pasta, which are a little similar to these tagliolini pasta arancini.

My hubby is from Sicily, so I have eaten both homemade and street bought arancini many times, but this was actually the first time I had made them with pasta instead of rice! Did you know that the word arancini comes from  the Italian ‘arancia’ which means orange. Needless to say because they look like oranges; at least in Palermo where they are rounder. In Catania, rice arancini are more conical.

A way to use up leftovers.

Much of Southern Italian street food started life as a means of using up leftovers! These tagliolini pasta arancini can, of course, be made with leftover pasta. But, needless to say, you can make them from scratch. They aren’t difficult to make and the ingredients are pretty simple, relatively inexpensive and widely available. Next time I make them, I want to try cooking them in the oven. I’ve cooked arancini in the oven so, these should work too.

In Naples, tagliolini pasta arancini are often made with scarmoza or provolone cheese. I made them with mozzarella. If you can’t find tagliolini pasta (also known as taglierini) just use spaghetti. There are also many recipes here in Italy for spaghetti arancini or croquettes, so I’m sure it will be just as delicious.

Be sure to make plenty of these pasta aracini!

As I mentioned above, my hubby is Sicilian so, I wasn’t sure how he’d take to the idea of pasta arancini! I needn’t have worried! He adored them and wolfed down 3 in quick succession! I’m sure you will too. Just make sure you make enough because everyone will want more!!

If you make this tagliolini pasta arancini recipe, I’d love to hear how it turns out and if you liked it. So, please leave a comment here on the blog or on The Pasta Project Facebook page.

Buon appetito!

(see the recipe on the next page. Just scroll down and click 2)