Risi e
Bisi
Veneto rice & peas
Tender rice and sweet peas share a loose, creamy broth, with small pieces of pancetta and a finish of butter and grated cheese.
Rice, peas & little pieces of pancettaRice and peas,
a spoonable Veneto primo.
Risi e bisi means rice and peas in the Venetian dialect. This Veneto first course sits between soup and risotto: the grains are tender, but a little broth should still move around them. Peas bring sweetness, while pancetta, butter and cheese add savory depth.
Spring peas are closely associated with the dish, and some kitchens use their pods to flavor the broth. The home recipe below uses frozen peas and prepared broth for a simpler start. Serve it in bowls while loose and warm; it will thicken as the rice stands.
Explore by food: Rice & grains · Vegetables & cheese
Let’s make risi e bisi.
A home version with frozen peas and prepared broth; no pea-pod broth or shelling time is hidden in the recipe.
Four first-course bowls; begins with frozen peas and prepared broth.
What you’ll need
- 300 gVialone Nano rice
- 300 gfrozen peas
- 80 gpancetta, finely diced
- 100 gwhite onion, finely chopped
- 40 gunsalted butter, divided
- 1.4 llow-sodium vegetable broth
- 200 mlwater, for adjusting consistency
- 50 gParmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
- 2 tbspchopped parsley
- to tastefine salt and black pepper
The photographed serving is fairly thick; leave this home preparation a little more brothy. Start checking the rice before its packet time ends and use its texture rather than a fixed minute alone.
How to make it
- 01
Warm the broth
Heat the broth in a saucepan until gently simmering, then keep it warm over low heat.
- 02
Soften the base
In a wide saucepan, melt 20 g butter over medium-low heat. Add onion and pancetta and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until the onion is soft and the pancetta has released some fat.
- 03
Cook the rice
Stir in the rice for 1 minute. Add 800 ml hot broth and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for the rice’s packet time, usually 15–18 minutes, stirring often and adding more hot broth as it is absorbed. Add the frozen peas for the final 6 minutes.
- 04
Finish while loose
When the rice is tender with a slight bite and the peas are hot through, turn off the heat. Stir in the remaining 20 g butter, cheese and parsley. Add remaining broth and some of the measured water as needed until a little liquid pools around the grains. Season and serve immediately in four bowls.
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