Risi e Bisi
A classic Venetian spring dish of rice and sweet peas suspended in a rich pea-pod broth, eaten with a spoon as a cross between soup and risotto.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 60 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 460 kcal
Equipment
- •Large heavy saucepan
- •Medium stockpot
- •Fine mesh sieve
- •Immersion blender
- •Wooden spoon
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 460 kcal
- fat
- 16 g
- carbs
- 64 g
- fibre
- 6 g
- protein
- 14 g
- calories
- 460 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Shell the peas, setting the peas aside and keeping the fresh green pods.
- 2
Rinse the pods and simmer them in 1.2 litres of lightly salted water for twenty minutes until tender.
- 3
Blend the pods and their cooking liquid with an immersion blender, then pass through a fine sieve to make a sweet green broth.
- 4
Keep the pea-pod broth warm over low heat on a back burner.
- 5
Warm the olive oil and half the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- 6
Add the minced pancetta and onion, cooking gently for five minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
- 7
Stir in the shelled peas and parsley, cooking for two minutes to coat them in the fat.
- 8
Add the Vialone Nano rice and stir for one minute until lightly glossy.
- 9
Ladle in the hot pea-pod broth gradually, stirring regularly, keeping the mixture wetter and looser than a dry risotto.
- 10
Simmer for fifteen minutes until the rice is tender to the bite but floating in a light, creamy broth.
- 11
Remove from the heat and beat in the remaining cold butter and grated Grana Padano vigorously.
- 12
Rest for two minutes, season with salt and pepper, and ladle into warm shallow bowls.
Chef's tips
Do not throw away the pea pods; their strained cooking liquid provides the signature sweetness and vibrant green base of the dish. Risi e bisi must be served all'onda, noticeably soupier than standard risotto, so do not let the broth boil completely dry. Vialone Nano rice is ideal because it absorbs substantial liquid while retaining a firm central bite.
Ingredient substitutions
- Vialone Nano rice → Carnaroli rice, though cook times will increase slightly
- pancetta → diced lardo, or omit entirely for a vegetarian version
- fresh peas in pods → frozen peas simmered with a mild light vegetable stock if fresh podded peas are out of season
Storage
Best enjoyed immediately, but leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a saucepan with a splash of hot water or light stock to restore its loose, spoonable texture.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Cooking the rice down until dry like a standard dry risotto rather than leaving it wet and spoonable
- •Discarding the pea pods instead of simmering and straining them for the essential sweet broth
- •Using frozen peas without adjusting the stock base, resulting in a thin and flavourless broth
Serving suggestions
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