Rice and peas traditionally called “risi e bisi” in dialect, is a common recipe in the entire Veneto region, where it’s prepared with numerous variations.

The origin of this recipe is attested in the middle of the ‘300 to celebrate the anniversary of April the 25th, the feast of St. Mark, the patron saint of Venice.

Ingredients:

300 gr of rice
1 kg of fresh peas
1 onion
1 carrot
1 celery
1 sprig of parsley
Extra virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic
Butter
Grated Parmesan cheese

Rice and peas

Preparation:

Separate peas from pods and put pods in a bowl separately.

In a pan, pour a tablespoon of olive oil and a knob of butter and fry lightly garlic and onion finely chopped.

Add peas with a half glass of water, then add the chopped parsley without stems. Cook over medium heat with a lid.

Wash the pods and deprive them from the top, that is where pods are joined to the plant. Immerse them in  a pot of salted water with onion, celery and carrot. Cook for at least an hour adding boiling water once the level has fallen too much. After the indicated time, strain the obtained broth.

Returning to the pot where cook peas, when they are cooked to perfection, add to the mix the rice, cook for several minutes and then gradually add a ladle of broth of the pods, let it evaporate and adding other broth.

Finally, when the rice is cooked to perfection remove from heat and add a knob of butter and Parmesan cheese.

Serve hot with a pair of parsley leaves as a garnish.

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