Risi e bisi (risotto with peas) – Veneto
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Categories: Kids, Healthy*substitute olive oil for butter, Dairy free* substitute olive oil for butter and eliminate cheese, Quick and Easy* substitute store bought stock or water for broth, Vegetarian*eliminate prosciutto, Season: Spring
This dish appears to be very simple but is actually incredibly complex. It is not an accident that risotto is considered to be posh. This is not only because rice tends to be eaten in the wealthier north of Italy but also because the dish involves butter, less frequently eaten in much of Italy, and cheese.
The dish is very nutritious and suitable for children as it has lots of vegetables in the stock which are unseen and rice and sweet peas are a favourite of children. The goal here is a pea per grain of rice. The broth used in making risotto needs to be hot otherwise it increases the cooking time and the correct texture is not achieved. The vegetable broth recipe is adapted from an Angela Hartnett recipe. See Notes on how to prepare this dish quickly.
This dish appears to be very simple but is actually incredibly complex. It is not an accident that risotto is considered to be posh. This is not only because rice tends to be eaten in the wealthier north of Italy but also because the dish involves butter, less frequently eaten in much of Italy, and cheese.
The dish is very nutritious and suitable for children as it has lots of vegetables in the stock which are unseen and rice and sweet peas are a favourite of children. The goal here is a pea per grain of rice. The broth used in making risotto needs to be hot otherwise it increases the cooking time and the correct texture is not achieved. The vegetable broth recipe is adapted from an Angela Hartnett recipe. See Notes on how to prepare this dish quickly.
Author: Woo Wei-Duan
Recipe type: Primo (First course)
Cuisine: Veneto
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
Broth:
- 2 litres vegetable broth
- 1 leek, washed, end and green stalk removed and coarsely chopped
- 1 onion, peeled, ends removed and coarsely chopped
- 2 carrots, washed, peeled, ends removed and coarsely chopped
- 4 celery ribs, washed, ends removed and coarsely chopped
- Basil stems
- Pods from podded peas (see below)
- 10 fennel seeds
- 1 lemon, washed and sliced
Risotto:
- 100 grams unsalted butter
- 1 onion, peeled, ends removed, and finely chopped
- 350 grams risotto rice
- 60 ml dry white wine, decent tasting
- 1.8 litres vegetable stock from above
- 50 gms prosciutto or pancetta, finely sliced
- 200 grams shelled peas as small as possible as the large ones are floury, save the pods for the stock
- 200 grams shelled and deskinned broad beans (save the pods for the stock- for a guide on podding, see here) or 2 celery ribs, washed, ends removed and finely chopped
- 20 grams celery, washed, ends cut off and finely diced
- 100 grams grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- Sea salt
Instructions
Broth:
- Bring the vegetable broth to a simmer and add the leek, onion, carrots, celery ribs, the basil, the pea pods, and the fennel seed and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Remove the solids with a slotted spoon.
- Add the lemon and let cool.
- Allow to sit, at least 20 minutes but ideally overnight in the refrigerator. Remove the lemon with a slotted spoon.
Risotto:
- Heat the prepared broth in a stockpot bringing it to a boil.
- In a risotto or sauté pan, add 25 grams of butter, the onion and prosciutto.
- Heat the pan over low heat and cook until the onion is translucent and soft, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Add the rice, stir constantly, and toast for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the white wine and stir until evaporated.
- Add 400 ml of stock, stirring, 1 ladleful at a time until almost cooked.
- Keep enough liquid in the pan and stir continuously so that the rice does not stick to the pan and cooks evenly.
- Separately in a sauté pan, heat 25 grams of butter and gently sauté the peas and broad beans or celery over low heat until cooked (the time will vary depending on the age of your peas and broad beans but large peas will take about 12 minutes). The vegetables should not fry, so add a bit of water or broth if needed. Add salt to taste.
- When the rice is done to your liking (Italians eat risotto with the centre a bit hard and there should be a lot of liquid in with the rice but should not be a soup), about 20 minutes in total, then remove from the heat and add the vegetables to the rice.
- Add half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and the remaining 75 gms of butter and stir.
- Adjust the salt to taste and serve dusting with the remaining 50 gms of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Notes
Short cut-
Use store bought stock or water. The flavour will not be the same but will still be tasty.
Instructions for the Vorwerk Thermomix Bimby:
Place 100 gms Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese in the mixing bowl and grate 10 sec/speed 10. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Place 20 grams of celery into the mixing bowl and chop 7 sec/speed 7. Remove and set aside.
Place 1 leek (white part), 1 onion, 2 carrots and 4 celery ribs for the broth into the mixing bowl and chop 5 sec/speed 5.
Add 1 litre vegetable broth, 8 basil stems, pea pods (if possible) and 10 fennel seeds to the mixing bowl. Cook 7 min/100C/Speed 1. Remove and place in a bowl with the sliced lemon. Set aside.
Rinse and dry the bowl. Place the onion into the mixing bowl and chop 8 sec/speed 5. Scrape down the sides with the spatula.
Add 50 grams pancetta or prosciutto and 25 gms butter and saute 4 min/120C/speed 1.
Add 350 grams risotto rice and saute 3 min/120C/reverse speed 1. Leave the measuring cup off the lid.
Add 60 mls white wine and cook 1 min/100C/ reverse speed 1. Leave the measuring cup off the lid.
Strain the reserved broth and add 720 grams of broth to the rice with 5 grams of salt. Cook 12 to 13 minutes/100C/reverse speed 1. Place the simmering basket on top of the lid.
Meanwhile in a frying pan, heat 25 grams of butter with 200 grams peas, 200 grams broad beans and the reserved chopped celery over low heat until cooked. Add salt to taste.
When the risotto is finished, remove the risotto and place in a bowl. Add the peas, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and 50 gms butter. Stir to combine and serve.
Use store bought stock or water. The flavour will not be the same but will still be tasty.
Instructions for the Vorwerk Thermomix Bimby:
Place 100 gms Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese in the mixing bowl and grate 10 sec/speed 10. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Place 20 grams of celery into the mixing bowl and chop 7 sec/speed 7. Remove and set aside.
Place 1 leek (white part), 1 onion, 2 carrots and 4 celery ribs for the broth into the mixing bowl and chop 5 sec/speed 5.
Add 1 litre vegetable broth, 8 basil stems, pea pods (if possible) and 10 fennel seeds to the mixing bowl. Cook 7 min/100C/Speed 1. Remove and place in a bowl with the sliced lemon. Set aside.
Rinse and dry the bowl. Place the onion into the mixing bowl and chop 8 sec/speed 5. Scrape down the sides with the spatula.
Add 50 grams pancetta or prosciutto and 25 gms butter and saute 4 min/120C/speed 1.
Add 350 grams risotto rice and saute 3 min/120C/reverse speed 1. Leave the measuring cup off the lid.
Add 60 mls white wine and cook 1 min/100C/ reverse speed 1. Leave the measuring cup off the lid.
Strain the reserved broth and add 720 grams of broth to the rice with 5 grams of salt. Cook 12 to 13 minutes/100C/reverse speed 1. Place the simmering basket on top of the lid.
Meanwhile in a frying pan, heat 25 grams of butter with 200 grams peas, 200 grams broad beans and the reserved chopped celery over low heat until cooked. Add salt to taste.
When the risotto is finished, remove the risotto and place in a bowl. Add the peas, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and 50 gms butter. Stir to combine and serve.
Much too complicated and there’s no prosciutto in the Venetian version. « 5 grams of salt « why not six and a half while you’re at it? This sort of convoluted way of making a simple delicious dish sound difficult to make would turn anyone off cooking. It’s pretentious and false.
Hello,
Your comment made me very sad. I write this blog to reach out to others who love Italy and Italian food and to create a community based on a shared interest. Food has a lovely way of doing that. I doubt you would come into my home with such a critical tone and would ask respectfully that you do not do so here. This is my website which I have poured hours of my time to build and share recipes, photos, experiences and journeys and ask nothing in return (but hope for some camaraderie). If you would like to do the same (and it sounds like you are keen to share your knowledge), then I would be happy to visit your site.
About your comments:
Salt, as all cooks know, is subjective and should be added according to your own taste. I have added quantities here for people who do not have the confidence to cook more free form and would like some guidance. If you don’t intend to use this guideline, you are very welcome not to. The truth is I hate measuring ingredients and never do when cooking for myself. When cooking for this blog, I measure out each recipe at least 3 times despite loathing it. Cooking should be a sensory experience using all 5 senses but an aid is needed until one understands the dish as it was intended.
About your criticism that the recipe is too complicated, a shortcut is given to only use water or store bought ingredients. Having sat on the board of one of the Slow Food regions and being a mother of three, I will always opt for adding as much goodness as possible and taking the time honoured route. However I know many people are time strapped, the ingredients are not always at hand and cooking is not always a joy, so I offer alternatives in the notes.
Now, Veneto is a large region which varies geographically from the mountains to the lagoons with the cuisine varying as well. My mother-in-law is from the Veneto. Not all of the Veneto is Venice. She is from Padova which is different than Cortina d’Ampezzo for example. In Padova, some even add some sausage to their risi e bisi. Prosciutto or pancetta are very acceptable ingredients in risi e bisi and are found in risi e bisi in the Veneto. Just because one person does not add it to their dish, does not mean it is not done in the region. It is always a dangerous thing to say that small variations are not done with a dish in Italy as there is so much variation between towns and provinces within a region. I also find that substitutions are made based on seasonality and availability so for example torta verde in Liguria can be made with pumpkin in the winter. Pancetta and fatty prosciutto are often given as equal options in dishes. I don’t know if you speak Italian but you can read up on the history of risi e bisi and the acceptability of prosciutto as an ingredient here:
https://www.festivalcucinaveneta.it/23/risi-e-bisi-piatto-da-doge.html
https://www.lacucinaitaliana.it/tutorial/i-consigli/risi-e-bisi-un-piatto-di-primavera/
https://www.cucchiaio.it/ricetta/ricetta-risi-bisi/
if you cannot speak Italian check the Slow Food Dictionary.