Everything you need to make classic supplì al telefono at home, from cooking the rice to shaping, breading, and frying. The result is golden and crisp on the outside, soft and gooey at the center.
Finely chop the onion and let it soften in a large pan with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium-low heat. Cook it slowly until soft, without letting it brown.
Add the ground beef and cook over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it browns.
Pour in the white wine and let the alcohol evaporate completely. Add the tomato passata, season with salt and pepper, and bring the sauce to a boil.
Lower the heat and let it simmer gently for at least 30–40 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the sauce becomes too dry during cooking, add a splash of water or hot stock.
The sauce should be flavorful and fairly thick, but not dry, as it will continue cooking together with the rice.
Add the Carnaroli rice directly to the pan with the meat sauce and stir well.
Cook it like a risotto, gradually adding the hot vegetable stock and allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding more.
Continue cooking until the rice is cooked but still slightly al dente. The mixture should be thick and creamy, not runny.
Once the rice is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and add the butter and grated Pecorino Romano. Stir well until everything is evenly combined.
Transfer the rice to a baking tray lined with parchment paper and spread it out without pressing it down, allowing it to cool more quickly. Let it cool completely.
Once cold, cover it and place it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Chilling allows the starch in the rice to firm up, making the mixture more compact and easier to shape.
Cut the well-drained mozzarella into sticks, long enough to run along the length of the supplì.
With slightly damp hands, take a portion of the rice and flatten it in the palm of your hand.
Place one mozzarella stick in the center, lengthwise, then close the rice around the filling, making sure the mozzarella is completely enclosed.
Shape the supplì into the classic oval, elongated shape, making sure the mozzarella stick runs almost from one end to the other.
Repeat until all the rice mixture has been used.
Beat the 2 eggs in one dish and place the breadcrumbs in another.
Dip each supplì first into the beaten egg, then into the breadcrumbs, making sure the coating adheres evenly over the entire surface.
A uniform, well-adhered coating is important: it helps protect the supplì during frying and keeps the filling inside.
Heat plenty of peanut oil in a deep, high-sided pot until it reaches 175–180°C (350–355°F).
If you don't have a kitchen thermometer, you can make a rough check by dipping the handle of a wooden spoon into the oil. If small bubbles immediately form around the wood, the oil is hot enough to start frying.
Fry only a few supplì at a time without overcrowding the pot, and turn them gently so they brown evenly.
Once golden brown, remove them from the oil and transfer them to paper towels to drain.
Let them rest for 1–2 minutes and serve while still hot. When broken open, the mozzarella should form the characteristic strand of the “supplì al telefono.”
Servings 12
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
To prevent the supplì from breaking while you shape and fry them, make sure the rice is completely cold before shaping. Chilling allows the starch to firm up and makes the mixture easier to handle. The mozzarella should also be well drained and cut into sticks: this allows the filling to run along the length of the supplì and creates the characteristic “telephone” mozzarella strand when you break one open.
If you want to prepare them ahead of time, keep the shaped and breaded supplì well covered in the refrigerator and preferably fry them by the following day. Alternatively, you can freeze them before frying. Arrange them separately at first, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag once frozen solid.
Already-fried supplì can be stored in the refrigerator for 1–2 days. To restore their crisp texture, reheat them in the oven or an air fryer until heated through to the center.
Today, supplì are one of the most recognizable symbols of Roman street food, but we do not know exactly when or how they originated. Their origins are generally traced back to the nineteenth century, and some accounts connect them with the French presence in Rome during the Napoleonic period.
The name itself is also linked to this interpretation. One of the most widespread explanations derives supplì from the French word surprise, referring to the filling hidden inside the croquette. This etymology is also reported by the Accademia Italiana della Cucina, which refers to the definition found in Filippo Chiappini's Vocabolario romanesco. The precise origin of the dish, however, remains uncertain.
The earliest documented versions were also different from the supplì we know today. Fillings could include offal, meat, and provatura cheese, while the preparation had not yet developed into the simpler and more recognizable form that would become established later.
As Roman fry shops became increasingly popular, supplì gradually established themselves as an inexpensive food to be eaten hot and freshly fried. Among the anecdotes associated with their history is one involving James Joyce, who lived in Rome between 1906 and 1907 and who, according to tradition, particularly appreciated the supplì sold in the city's fry shops.
During the twentieth century, the recipe continued to evolve. Rice seasoned with tomato became increasingly characteristic, while mozzarella established itself as the central filling of the version most familiar today.
That melted mozzarella center also gave rise to the famous name “supplì al telefono.” When a hot supplì is broken in half, the mozzarella forms a strand connecting the two pieces, resembling the cord of an old-fashioned telephone. The image has become inseparable from one of the most representative fried specialties of Roman cuisine.