In this episode of “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives,” Guy Fieri is joined by legendary comedian Dennis Miller as they visit the beautiful town of Montecito, California. Their destination? Bettina, a wood-fired Neapolitan pizza joint renowned for its creatively crafted dishes. Owned by husband-and-wife team Brendan Smith and Rachel Greenspan, Bettina offers a delightful mix of flavors that keeps patrons coming back for more.
A Pizza Place Unlike Any Other
Bettina is not your typical pizza place. While the restaurant specializes in wood-fired Neapolitan pizza, the journey begins with the dough. Brendan, who started as a bread baker, brings his expertise to the art of pizza making. Despite neither being Italian—Brendan is Jewish and Rachel is Irish—they have managed to capture the essence of Italian cuisine while adding their unique twist.
But today, Guy and Dennis aren’t here just for the pizza. They are eager to try the Cacio e Pepe Arancini, an Italian classic turned into a crispy, cheesy delight.
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The Art of Making Cacio e Pepe Arancini
The arancini at Bettina is a three-in-one delight with a decadent combination of risotto, Cacio e Pepe sauce, and a crispy exterior. The process begins with making a rich chicken stock using chicken backs, feet, onion, carrot, and celery. This stock is simmered overnight, strained, and cooled until it turns into a gelatinous base.
Next, the risotto is prepared by toasting rice with olive oil, diced onion, and garlic. “White wine and chicken stock are then added, and the mixture is stirred until nearly done,” Brendan explains. The final touch is to fold in butter, salt, black pepper, and Parmesan cheese. The risotto is then spread on a sheet tray to cool.
Flavor Bomb: Calabrian Chili Aioli
The spicy aioli adds an extra layer of flavor to the arancini. It’s made with egg yolks, Dijon mustard, a mix of canola oil and Calabrian chili oil, lemon juice, salt, microplaned garlic, and smoked paprika. Guy can’t help but praise it: “This thing is a flavor bomb right here. Silky, creamy, velvet.”
Assembling the Arancini
The cooled risotto is scooped into balls, each filled with fresh mozzarella. These are then rolled in flour, dipped in egg wash, and coated with breadcrumbs seasoned with oregano and black pepper. The balls are frozen to ensure they cook evenly when fried.
The arancini are fried at 350 degrees for about five to eight minutes until they are golden brown. “When you can fry it to where it tastes baked, not oily, you have a nice light tender flaky fall apart,” says Guy. The final touch is a generous garnish of Parmesan cheese.
The Verdict
Both Guy and Dennis are blown away by the complexity and balance of flavors. “There’s a lot of things going on here,” Guy notes. “You’ve got good sweet, great texture, and good salt, but it’s the spice in the Calabrian chili oil that sings all the way through, mirrored with the smokiness of that paprika.”
Dennis adds, “The outside is just crispy. It melts in your mouth. It has the peppery, cheesy flavor, and the sauce is phenomenal.”