Venetian Rice and Peas (Risi e Bisi)
Rice and peas, or risi e bisi, is a classic Venetian dish, traditionally eaten on April 25, St. Mark’s Day. Much like risotto, the rice is rich and creamy because of the starchiness of the grains and how they are cooked. But risi e bisi typically is a bit soupier. Sweet peas stud the dish, and in the version taught to us by Michela Tasca, owner of Ca’ de Memi farm and bed and breakfast in Piombino Dese outside of Venice, the al dente grains were bathed in beautiful pale green broth, a result of peas pureed into the cooking liquid. For our version, we puree peas plus fresh parsley with a small amount of a broth infused with aromatics. To keep the flavors and color vibrant, we hold off on adding the puree, along with additional whole peas, until the rice has finished cooking. Pancetta provides salty, meaty backbone and fennel seeds, with their notes of licorice, complement the grassy, sweetness of the peas. Vialone nano is the preferred variety of Italian medium-grain rice for risi e bisi, but easier to find Arborio works just as well.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 medium carrot peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 large white onion half thinly sliced, half finely chopped
- 1 medium celery stalk thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
- 1 quart low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups frozen peas divided (1 cup still frozen, 1 cup thawed and at room temperature)
- 2 lightly packed cups fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 3-4 ounces pancetta finely chopped
- 4 tablespoons salted butter cut into 1-tablespoon pieces, divided
- 1 cup vialone nano rice or Arborio rice
- ground black pepper
- 2 ounces Parmesan cheese finely grated (1 cup), plus more to serve
Instructions
Make the vegetable broth and the vegetable pureé:
- In a large pot, combine the carrot, the sliced onion, celery, fennel seeds, broth and 2 cups water.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high, then cover, reduce to medium-low and simmer until the vegetables have softened, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and, using a slotted spoon, transfer the solids to a blender, draining off as much liquid as possible.
- Add 1 cup of the broth to the blender along with the still-frozen peas and the parsley; leave the remaining broth in the pot so it remains warm.
- Blend until the mixture is smooth, 1½ to 2 minutes; you should have about 3 cups puree. Set aside in the blender jar.
Cook the rice:
- In a large saucepan over medium, combine the chopped onion, pancetta and 2 tablespoons butter.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is lightly browned and the pancetta is rendered and lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add the rice and stir until the grains are coated with fat, then stir in 1 cup of the broth.
- Cook, stirring, until the liquid is mostly absorbed, about 5 minutes.
- Ladle in additional broth to barely cover the rice and simmer, stirring often, until the broth is mostly absorbed.
- Repeat the addition of broth and simmering until mostly absorbed 4 or 5 times, until the rice is al dente and most of the broth has been used; this process should take 25 to 30 minutes.
Finish and serve:
- Remove the pan from the heat and let stand uncovered for 5 minutes.
- Add the thawed peas and the puree, then stir until heated through, about 1 minute.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and stir until melted.
- Stir in the Parmesan, then taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Serve sprinkled with additional Parmesan.
Notes
- Don’t thaw all of the peas. The 1 cup of peas that’s blended with hot broth and parsley should be kept frozen so that the puree remains a brilliant green; the 1 cup stirred in at the end should be fully thawed and at room temperature so the peas don’t cool the rice.