Supplì facts for kids
Supplì of rice
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| Type | Snack |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Italy |
| Region or state | Lazio |
| Main ingredients | Mozzarella, rice, sometimes tomato sauce, eggs, bread crumbs |
Supplì are a super yummy Italian snack, especially popular in Rome. They are crispy, deep-fried balls made mostly from rice and tomato sauce. Inside, you'll often find a surprise: a piece of gooey mozzarella cheese! People usually eat them as a quick bite or as a starter before a pizza.
What Are Supplì?
Supplì are a famous street food from Italy, especially from the Lazio region, where Rome is located. The name "supplì" comes from the French word surprise. This is because of the cheesy surprise hidden inside! They are similar to other fried snacks like arancini from Sicily or croquettes.
How Supplì Are Made
Making supplì starts with cooked rice, often a type of risotto. This rice is mixed with tomato sauce. Originally, people used to put things like chicken parts or mincemeat inside. Now, the most common filling is a piece of mozzarella cheese.
Once filled, the rice ball is dipped in egg and then covered with bread crumbs. Finally, it is fried, usually deep-fried, until it's golden brown and crispy. Sometimes, supplì are made without tomato sauce; these are called supplì in bianco, meaning "white-style supplì."
Why "Telephone-Style"?
Supplì are usually eaten with your fingers. When you break a warm supplì in half, the melted mozzarella cheese stretches out like a long, thin string. This string looks a bit like the old cords that connected a telephone handset to the phone base. Because of this, supplì are often called supplì al telefono, which means "telephone-style supplì."
Where to Find Them
Long ago, supplì were sold in special Roman shops called friggitorie. These shops were famous for selling all kinds of fried foods. Today, you can easily find supplì in most pizzerias all over Italy. They are often served as an antipasto, which is a starter dish before the main meal.
