Risi e Bisi – Venetian Rice and Peas
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While the palaces and gondolas of romantic Venice might not immediately conjure up this modest but tasty dish, it’s worth remembering that the Veneto is a large region, of which Venice plays just a part, which prides itself on a culture of hard work, industry and agriculture. The spirit of the Veneto is traditionally no-nonsense and plain-speaking, a bit like this dish.
The most important thing to remember with this dish is the consistency – it’s neither a soup nor a risotto, but something ambiguously in between!
Risi e Bisi is served in particular to celebrate the feast day of San Marco, the patron saint of Venice, on the the 25th of April (also Italy’s liberation day).
Ingredients for Risi e Bisi
400grms of frozen peas
300grms of short-grain rice
50grms of pancetta
1 white onion
Chopped Parsley
Parmesan Cheese
1 litre of vegetable broth
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
How to prepare Risi e Bisi
First cook your pancetta and chopped onion, in a large pot, in some olive oil.
When cooked, add your rice allowing it to toast, as you would do at the start of a risotto – making sure not to burn the rice.
Start adding your broth slowly, while stirring the rice as you would do with a normal risotto. Halfway through the cooking add your peas. Continue to add broth, remembering that you want a more soup-like consistency when the rice is cooked al-dente.
Serve with chopped parsley added.
What wine to drink with Risi e Bisi?
A nice dry white wine from the region, like a Custoza D.O.C.
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Tags: custozo doc, Primi, rice, risotto, soups, venice, venitian dishes
