Discover tradition with the new book "Veneto in Cucina, The Favors of Veneto" by Sime Books.
This recipe is one of the protagonists of "Veneto in Cucina" , the new volume published by Sime Books, an illustrated and tasty journey through the most authentic recipes and culinary stories of the Veneto.
When peas were first brought to Venice during the Renaissance, they were rare and special in every sense. Risotto with risi e bisi was served to the Doge every year on April 25th, Venice's feast day, the Feast of Saint Mark. It became a very important dish for all Venetians, but it can also be found on the mainland, in Vicenza.
This recipe was provided to me by Eugenio Oro, a friend and chef. An exceptional talent, Eugenio has a magical and unique touch in the kitchen.
Ingredients for 4 people
300 g of rice, Vialone Nano or Carnaroli
1 kg of peas in pods
70g pancetta, diced finely
1 chopped onion
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
160g Grana Padano, plus extra to serve
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons of butter
salt
freshly ground black pepper
Procedure
Shell the peas and keep the pods.
Place the pods in a saucepan with lightly salted water, 1.5 liters of water to obtain a broth.
Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium, and simmer; after 30 minutes, strain the pods and reserve the broth for the risotto.
In a large, flat-bottomed saucepan, combine the onions, oil, and 2 tablespoons of the butter.
When the onions are soft, add the bacon.
After a minute, add the peas and cook until tender, using more water if necessary.
Increase the heat to high and reduce the remaining liquid.
Add the rice, toasting the grains for 3 minutes and mix well.
Continue to slowly add the broth until it is absorbed, stirring often to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
After 17 minutes, remove the rice from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Add the butter, parsley, and Parmesan cheese, and let it rest for a minute or two. Serve very wave-style (tilting the pan forward and quickly moving it back and forth will form a wave in the rice).
