Risi e Bisi (Venetian-Style Rice and Peas) Recipe

Risi e Bisi
Creative Commons
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 40 mins
Servings: 4 servings

"Risi e Bisi" ("rice and peas") is a very classic Venetian recipe, traditionally made with peas from the towns of Lumignano or Borso del Grappa. It's more liquidy than a risotto but not quite a soup, or minestra, falling instead somewhere in between in terms of consistency -- something like a thick soup. Use fresh green peas for this dish. It's traditionally made with short-grain Vialone Nano rice (not Carnaroli, which is used for risotto), but if you can't find it, you may substitute Arborio or Carnaroli. While it might seem like a humble peasant dish, it was traditionally offered to Venice's ruler the Doge in the Palazzo Ducale on April 25, the Feast Day of San Marco, the city's patron saint. 

Traditionally the shelled pea pods are boiled in salted water and then that water is used to make the dish (sometimes with the addition of the pureed cooked pods themselves), but to make this a quicker and easier version, we'll use vegetable broth. If you'd like to go the more traditional route, however, feel free to simmer the pods in 6 cups of salted water for about 30 minutes to 1 hour and use that in place of the broth.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds fresh green peapods

  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 small onion, minced

  • 2 ounces unsmoked pancetta, or guanciale, diced, or prosciutto or salt pork

  • 1 1/2 cups Vialone Nano rice, or arborio

  • 1/3 cup dry white wine

  • 6 cups vegetable broth

  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

  • 1 cup freshly grated Grana Padano cheese

  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste

  • 1 teaspoon ground white pepper, or to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Shell the peas and discard the shells. Rinse and drain the peas well and set them aside.

  2. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat and saute the onion until softened and transparent, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the pancetta and continue cooking until lightly browned, about 5 minutes more. 

  3. Add the shelled peas and 1/2 cup of the broth. Continue cooking until the peas are just tender, about 5 to 10 minutes.

  4. Add the rice and cook over medium-high heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until it's well coated, then splash in the wine.

  5. Cook, stirring, until the wine has been absorbed, then add a ladle of the broth. Cook until most of the broth has been absorbed. Repeat until rice is firm but tender, about 20 minutes.

  6. Remove from heat and add any remaining broth, as necessary, to bring the consistency to that of a thick soup.

  7. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley, grated cheese, and the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter until melted.

  8. Serve hot with additional grated cheese, for sprinkling on top.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
513 Calories
30g Fat
42g Carbs
17g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 513
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 30g 38%
Saturated Fat 16g 79%
Cholesterol 70mg 23%
Sodium 1613mg 70%
Total Carbohydrate 42g 15%
Dietary Fiber 5g 19%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 17g
Vitamin C 89mg 444%
Calcium 312mg 24%
Iron 5mg 29%
Potassium 628mg 13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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