It’s difficult to define what kind of dish this is: is it minestra (= kind of soup) or risotto (= rice dish)? Probably a mixture of the two. What is certain is that since the 16th century “Risi e bisi” has become a typical Venetian dish, especially prepared for 25th April, day of St Mark, patron saint of Venice.

The preparation is rather long because in order to cook rice, you’ll have to make broth before, and this takes a while:.

Ingredients (for the broth):

• 1 lb of beef
• 1 lb of veal
• 1 onion
• 2 carrots
• 1 stick of celery
• 1 tomato
• some cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• salt
• pepper

Method

Put the meat in a pot filled with abundant cold water and add a generous pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat and when water starts boiling add the onion (into which you will have inserted some cloves), carrot, celery, tomato, bay leaf, pepper. Boil moderately for about an hour and a half skimming regularly with a slotted spoon. Take then the meat out and filter the broth. When it is cold and it has formed a layer of fat on the surface, take it away with a wooden paddle.

If you want to make this with a meatless broth- eliminate the meat and use a head of cabbage and 2 turnips to make the broth

Now that you have the broth you can prepare risi e bisi:

Ingredients:

• 1 lb rice (arborio or carnaroli rice)
• 1 lb very fine and small peas
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 2 tblsps butter (unsalted)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• !/3 cupParmigiano-Reggiano cheese (grated)
• salt to taste
• a handful of chopped parsley
• Meat broth (it’s impossible to give exact quantities here, but you’ll need at least a quart of broth, more or less; it depends on the quality of the rice you use: meaning how much liquid the rice will absorb…)

Method

Put the oil and butter in a pot and saute the chopped onion until just golden. Then add the peas and cook for about 20 minutes, adding some tablespoons of broth so that they don’t stick to the pan. After that, pour the remaining broth into the pot and, when it boils, the rice. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon for about 20 minutes more till the rice is soft. Complete with some salt, Parmesan and parsley and serve very hot.