Risi E Bici

In keeping with our Spring Vegitable dinners we made one of our very favorite spring dishes, Risi E Bici. We used the recipe from Bugialli’s Italy by Giuliano Bugialli. This is a wonderful soupy like, near risotto dish. It really is in a class by itself, somewhere between the two. Unlike risotto it does not need to be constantly stirred.


I spent over an hour shelling the fresh peas. All of the tendrils and pods are then used to make a pea stock that gives the dish its intense pea flavor. We serve Parmesan Cheese with it.The Risi E Bici reheats well. This is an annual dinner for us in the spring time, one of the best.

RISI E BISI Rice and Peas Venetian Style

Makes 6  servings

Bugialli’s Italy by Giuliano Bugialli

For The   Broth:

4 pounds snow peas or, if using fresh peas for the dish, 4 pound of the pods of the peas

16 cups cold water

1 medium-size carrot, scraped and cut into 2-inch pieces

1 medium-size stalk celery, cut into large piece

1 very small clove garlic, peeled

5 sprigs fresh Italian parsley, leaves only

Coarse-grained salt

For The   Rice:

4 – 6 ounces pancetta or prosciutto, in one piece

1 medium-size cipollotto (Venetian white onion) or yellow onion, cleaned

4 tablespoons (2 ounces) sweet butter

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium-size clove garlic (optional), peeled

15 sprigs fresh Italian parsley, leaves only

1 pound very small, sweet fresh peas or frozen "tiny tender" peas, not defrosted

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cup raw short-grain rice, preferably Vialone or Italian Arborio

To Serve:

2 tablespoons (1 ounce) sweet butter

6 tablespoons freshly grated Grana Padano cheese

Sprigs fresh Italian parsley

Wash the snow peas or pea pods very well under cold running water. In a large pot bring the cold water to a boil with the snow peas or pods, carrot, celery, garlic, and parsley over medium heat. While boiling, add coarse salt to taste, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for SO min­utes. Strain the broth and discard all the vegetables.

Finely grind the pancetta or prosciutto in a meat grinder and coarsely chop the onion on a cutting board. Place the butter and olive oil in a medium-size casserole set over low heat. When the butter is melted, add the pancetta or prosciutto, onion, and garlic clove, if used. Saute slowly for about IS minutes, then add the parsley and mix very well, then add the fresh or still frozen peas. Season with salt and pepper. Raise the heat to medium, add 1 cup of the vegetable broth, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the garlic and discard. Pour in 5 cups of the broth and when

it reaches a boil, add the rice. Mix very well, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 18 minutes. Be sure to have enough broth in the casserole for the rice to absorb to cook completely, with a tiny amount of liquid left; the final texture should be something between a real risotto and a thick bean soup. Remove the casserole from the heat, add the butter and cheese, and mix very well. (Mantecare—to churn—is the word used to describe the movement of absorbing the butter and the cheese into the rice.) Serve with the Italian parsley.