Risi e bisi: the classic recipe of chef Giancarlo Perbellini

Small, round, bright green color: i peas – preserved – they can be eaten all year round, but there is no comparison with those that are the protagonists of spring. A very ancient legume – traces were found in the Neolithic – which is good for the body and is characterized by a sweet taste, versatility and a color that everyone likes, let’s say positive. In particular to chefs who are passionate about natural cuisine, always looking for beautiful colors in the dishes, often deconstructing it: in fact, a cream of peas is enough to have a beautiful canvas on which to create. It was said of versatility, using them raw, stewed or steamed: they can be eaten together with cereals such as pasta or rice, for a balanced first course, but also as an extra touch for arancini and salads. Then, in combination with meats (typical is the case of stew) or fish (with cuttlefish). It is not just an Italic passion: just think of their presence in two historical and world-famous recipes such as Cantonese rice or Spanish paella.

In regional cuisine, there is a dish that most of all enhances peas and is the risi e bisi Veneto, a first course that in reality, due to its not too thick or too liquid consistency, it is considered halfway between a risotto and a soup. It was born in Venice, when the Serenissima began to extend its domain to include the territories of the Vicenza area as well. The peas grown on the slopes of the Berici Hills also reached the lagoon city, where they were particularly appreciated. Risi e bisi thus became the celebratory dish of spring, the season in which the first harvests took place, and was offered to the Doge in the banquet hall of the Doge’s Palace, on the occasion of the celebrations of the patron saint San Marco, on April 25th. Curiosity: a similar tradition is also found in Japan, similarly to celebrate spring. The dish is called mame gohan, terms with the same meaning of the Italian preparation, but a piece of kombu seaweed and saké come in.

To have the “classic” recipe we could not help but turn to a great chef, from the Veneto region, which one Giancarlo Perbellini with enormous experience on regional cuisine in general, essential for making his most creative dishes. His first advice is obviously on the raw material. «In Veneto we have two great qualities, the biso de Borso which takes its name from the municipality where it is produced, in the Grappa area, and that of Colognola al Colle, in the province of Verona. In any case, the fundamental aspect is that the peas have the right ripeness, which gives the typical sweet flavor. Sometimes, the intense green color hides an unripe pulp »explains the chef. The recipe is not difficult, but it is important to braise the shallot very well, to remove that bitter note that would clash when cooking peas. The extra touch, going beyond classicism? “Wasabi goes very well. You can make a mayonnaise or an emulsion with potato, vegetable broth and extra virgin olive oil: a spoonful on the finished dish is enough to discover how much it gives in taste and elegance »replies Perbellini. And now his unmissable recipe.

RISI AND BISI: THE RECIPE BY GIANCARLO PERBELLINI

Ingredients for four people
300 grams of dwarf vialone rice; uno shallot; 300 grams of peeled peas; 40 grams of butter; 40 grams of extra virgin olive oil; 50 grams of Grana Padano; un and a half liters of vegetable broth

Procedure
Peel the shallot and finely chop it. Braise it in a saucepan with extra virgin olive oil until golden, add the peas, keeping 50 grams aside and cook the sauce for 12-13 minutes, adding a few drops of broth if necessary. Peel the 50 grams of peas obtaining the two half spheres and season them with extra virgin olive oil and salt. Dry toast the rice and once it is hot, pour in the vegetable broth. cook for eight minutes then add the pea sauce when cooked (10-11 min). Stir in the rice fairly soupy, with a drop of extra virgin olive oil, the Grana Padano and the butter. Serve the rice and bisi in a bowl, finishing it to taste with the raw pea salad.