It was his research into history, art and gastronomy that led René Marre, a wine expert and gastronomy consultant based in Port-Vendres, to ask himself this question. Convinced of the Catalan roots of this generously garnished fried rice ball, he surrounded himself with experts to register the Arancini de Catalunya brand.
At the foot of Canigó and a stone’s throw from Barcelona, could this be a return to the roots of arancini? That is what René Marre, international gastronomy consultant, suggests. Interested in 2020 by the rice culture of Pals (in the province of Girona, about a hundred kilometers from Perpignan), this gastronomic historian discovered that this ball of fried rice filled with a thousand toppings was designed by the Berbers around the year 700, when they occupied Spain and introduced the cultivation of rice there. Back then, they themselves made a similar recipe, kibbeh, but based on bulgur. So at the end of the 13th centurye century, while Sicily was under the rule of the King of Aragon, also Count of Barcelona, its most popular dish was made with rice and leftovers and eaten hot or cold in the form of a ball called arancini.
Even today, it remains a staple of Sicilian cuisine. It can be enjoyed on the street, in the stadium, on the beach… “But we can say that arancini is of Catalan origin. And I saw that as marketingexplains René Marre. At a time when snacking is king all over the world, Arancini de Catalunya has its place in the market. This is a historic opportunity.”
The trademark Arancini de Catalunya is registered
René Marre discovered the export of arancini, the manufacturing and cooking techniques on site in Sicily with the help of his friend Jean-Michel Vuillemin, owner of the Italian restaurant Arago in Saint-André. “Why not bring this product back to life in Catalonia. Why not promote it with the help of expert hands?”, he asks himself. The Arancini de Catalunya brand is then registered with the INPI. “To be credible, the products must be excellent”, the chef still claims. He surrounds himself with the star chef from the Ebro Delta Joan Capilla, the best worker in France 2007, Christophe Rhedon, based in Saint-André and the Sicilian chef Claudio in charge of an arancini workshop in Catania.
Seven savory and two sweet recipes available in three formats (mini 35g, medium 110g and large 220g) are available. The aim is now twofold: to sell the products in shopping centres, restaurants, delicatessens and frozen departments and to create a production workshop in the Pyrénées-Orientales. All in “information about a product that relates to a past that is not known to the general public in Catalonia.”
Arancini with citrus fruits, paella, Catalan cream, anchovies…
“I liked the idea of eating something, anywhere, anytime, it’s a challenge.” The best pastry chef in France 2007 in Saint-André, Christophe Rhedon, who was used to designing cakes and desserts, approached the creation of his sweet arancini with Catalan citrus fruits in a different way, like a gilded dessert. “I worked with orange, lemon and cinnamon as spices, which ensured a balance between the candied side of the fruit and the acidity of the peelhe explains. Because it was Catalan, I wouldn’t have used e.g. strawberry or mint.” “To stay the course” of his recipe, asked him who cooked in Japan, England, Greece, Mexico, China, Peru “production monitoring and quality control.” For their part, Joan Capilla made an arancini with paella and another with tuna, René Marre made a vegetarian arancini, one with anchovies, one with marinated poultry and one with Catalan cream flavor, and Claudio suggested an eggplant and cheese filling and another with meat ragout. In 2025, Catalonia was designated a World Region of Gastronomy with Joan Capilla as ambassador. Another ingredient to make Arancini from Catalonia a famous product.
