"This has a lot to do with the moisture content of the rice," says Jasper J. Mirabile Jr. "Even though I cooked the rice al dente I still want [it] to be a little moist. Also, too many breadcrumbs on the outside would dry out the arancini."
The key for remembering this is that beyond being rice balls, this Sicilian treat specifically calls for risotto. When you think of risotto, you think of creamy rice, never dry. But risotto can dry out or finish with the wrong texture a number of ways: If you toast the rice too long before adding the stock, if you add the stock too quickly (the liquid will bulk the grains up and cook off, drying them out) or too slowly (the rice won't get soft enough in time), or if you overcook it.
Great arancini starts with making perfect, creamy risotto. A good idea is to follow Michael Symon's lead for making arancini, which is to focus on risotto for dinner one night, then use the leftovers for arancini the next day. For that risotto, make sure you use arborio rice. Don't rinse it with water, which washes off starches it needs to stay sticky.
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