Chef Graziella
Arancini di Riso alla Siciliana
Golden fried rice balls from Sicily, where Arab cooks first wrapped saffron-scented rice around meat and cheese. The exterior shatters; the interior yields. This is street food elevated to art.
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Risi e Bisi alla Veneziana
Created by
The springtime dish of the Venetian Republic, neither risotto nor soup but something between. Served loose and flowing, as the lagoon itself, to celebrate the first peas of the season.
Main Dishes
Italian, Venetian
Special Occasion
Comfort Food
30 min
Active Time
45 min cook•1 hr 15 min total
Yield6 servings
Risi e bisi is not risotto. I must say this at the beginning because Americans see rice and assume risotto technique applies. It does not. This is older than risotto, simpler than risotto, and served so loose it nearly drinks from the spoon. The Venetians call this texture 'all'onda,' like a wave. If your risi e bisi holds its shape on the plate, you have failed.
The dish belongs to spring. For centuries, it appeared on the table of the Doge on the feast of San Marco, April 25th, made with the first tender peas from the gardens of the lagoon islands. The peas of the Veneto are small and sweet, nothing like the starchy specimens found in American supermarkets. If you cannot find fresh peas at the height of their season, do not make this dish. Wait. Some things cannot be forced.
What makes risi e bisi Venetian is the broth. True cooks simmer the empty pea pods to extract every whisper of flavor before discarding them. Nothing is wasted. The pods give sweetness and body to the liquid that the rice will absorb. This is peasant economy elevated to palace cuisine.
Risi e bisi was the ceremonial first course served to the Doge of Venice every April 25th, the feast of San Marco, patron saint of the Republic. The tradition dates to at least the 14th century, when the first peas from the lagoon islands signaled spring's arrival. Venetian ambassadors reportedly carried the dish's reputation across Europe, though the recipe remained stubbornly local, tied to the specific peas and rice of the Veneto.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
fresh peas in pods
Quantity
2 pounds
shelled, pods reserved
light chicken or vegetable broth
Quantity
6 cups
unsalted butter
Quantity
4 tablespoons
divided
extra virgin olive oil
Quantity
2 tablespoons
yellow onion
Quantity
1 small
diced fine
pancetta
Quantity
4 ounces
diced small
Vialone Nano rice
Quantity
1 1/2 cups
dry white wine
Quantity
1/2 cup
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Quantity
1/2 cup
freshly grated, plus more for serving
fresh flat-leaf parsley
Quantity
2 tablespoons
chopped fine
kosher salt
Quantity
to taste
black pepper
Quantity
to taste
freshly ground
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| fresh peas in podsshelled, pods reserved | 2 pounds |
| light chicken or vegetable broth | 6 cups |
| unsalted butterdivided | 4 tablespoons |
| extra virgin olive oil | 2 tablespoons |
| yellow oniondiced fine | 1 small |
| pancettadiced small | 4 ounces |
| Vialone Nano rice | 1 1/2 cups |
| dry white wine | 1/2 cup |
| Parmigiano-Reggianofreshly grated, plus more for serving | 1/2 cup |
| fresh flat-leaf parsleychopped fine | 2 tablespoons |
| kosher salt | to taste |
| black pepperfreshly ground | to taste |
Equipment Needed
- •Heavy 5-quart Dutch oven or wide, deep sauté pan
- •Medium saucepan for pod broth
- •Fine-mesh strainer
- •Ladle
Instructions
- 1
Make the pea pod broth
Shell the peas, reserving the pods. Rinse the pods and place them in a saucepan with the broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. The pods will release their sweetness into the liquid. Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve, pressing on the pods to extract every drop of flavor. Discard the pods. Keep the broth warm over low heat.
This step is not optional. The pod broth distinguishes authentic risi e bisi from rice with peas thrown in. Those pods contain flavor you paid for. Use it. - 2
Cook the pancetta and onion
In a heavy, wide pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until it renders its fat and begins to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until completely soft and translucent, another 8 to 10 minutes. The onion must not brown. Low heat and patience.
- 3
Toast the rice
Add the rice to the pot and stir to coat every grain with the fat. Toast for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. The grains should become slightly translucent at the edges. This step is brief but essential: it prepares the starch for proper absorption.
- 4
Add wine and begin cooking
Pour in the white wine and stir until it is completely absorbed. You should hear it sizzle against the hot rice. When the pan is nearly dry and you no longer smell raw alcohol, begin adding the warm pea pod broth, one ladleful at a time. Stir gently after each addition. Unlike risotto, you need not stir constantly, but do not ignore it either.
The broth must be warm, not cold. Cold liquid shocks the rice and interrupts the cooking. Keep it at a gentle simmer on a back burner. - 5
Add the peas
When the rice has cooked for about 10 minutes and is halfway done, add the shelled peas. Stir them in gently and continue adding broth as needed. The peas will cook with the rice for the remaining time. If your peas are very young and tender, add them later; they need only 5 minutes. Older peas need the full 10.
- 6
Finish to proper consistency
Continue cooking and adding broth until the rice is tender but still has the faintest resistance at the center, about 18 to 20 minutes total. The dish should be quite loose, almost soupy. If you tip the pot, it should flow like a slow wave. This is 'all'onda.' Add more broth if needed to achieve this consistency. Remove from heat.
Risi e bisi thickens as it sits. Finish it slightly looser than you think correct. By the time it reaches the table, it will have tightened to the proper texture. - 7
Mount with butter and cheese
Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the Parmigiano-Reggiano. The butter should melt and disappear into the rice, adding richness without visible grease. Add the parsley and stir once more. Taste for salt and pepper. The pancetta and cheese provide salt, so taste before adding more.
- 8
Serve immediately
Ladle into warm shallow bowls. The rice should spread gently across the bowl, not hold a mound. Pass additional Parmigiano-Reggiano at the table for those who want it. This dish waits for no one. Serve it the moment it is ready and eat it while it flows.
Chef Tips
- •Vialone Nano is the correct rice for Venetian cooking. It is a semifino grain that absorbs liquid beautifully while maintaining texture. Arborio works adequately, but Carnaroli makes the dish too creamy and stiff. Seek out Vialone Nano from a good Italian grocer.
- •Frozen peas are a concession, not a substitution. If you must use them, add them at the very end and skip the pod broth. You will have a pleasant dish, but not risi e bisi.
- •Some Venetian cooks add a small amount of prosciutto instead of pancetta, or use both. Guanciale, favored in Rome, does not belong here. This is Venetian.
- •The parsley is traditional in Venice, though cooks from other parts of the Veneto omit it. Use flat-leaf Italian parsley only. The curly variety has no place in Italian cooking.
Advance Preparation
- •Shell the peas and make the pod broth up to one day ahead. Refrigerate separately. Rewarm the broth before using.
- •Risi e bisi cannot be made ahead. It must be served immediately. The rice continues to absorb liquid as it sits, destroying the proper loose texture.
- •If you have leftovers, accept that they will be thick and porridge-like the next day. Stir in broth and reheat gently. It will not be the same dish, but it will still be good.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 265g)
Calories
470 calories
Total Fat
24 g
Saturated Fat
10 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
13 g
Cholesterol
40 mg
Sodium
865 mg
Total Carbohydrates
47 g
Dietary Fiber
3 g
Sugars
3 g
Protein
14 g
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