Risi e Bisi in Brodo di Piselli Freschi Veneziani

Ingredients

• For the pea pod broth
• pods from 1 kg fresh peas Fresh young pea pods, reserved after shelling; rinsed
• 1 small White onion, halved
• 1 pinch Fine salt
• 1.5 litres Cold water
• For the risi e bisi
• 1 kg Fresh young peas in the pod, shelled; pods reserved for the broth
• 280 g Vialone Nano rice
• 100 g Pancetta, cut into small dice
• 1 medium White onion, finely chopped
• 60 g Unsalted butter, divided: 30 g for cooking, 30 g for the mantecare
• 60 g Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated
• 1 tsp Fine salt, or to taste
• To finish
• 1 small handful Pea shoots (germogli di pisello), scattered over the plated dish

Method

1. 1
   Combine the rinsed pea pods, halved onion, pinch of salt and cold water in a large saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing the pods lightly to extract all liquid, then discard the solids. Keep the broth hot over a low flame. The broth is ready when it carries a clean, sweet, grassy scent with no trace of bitterness.
2. 2
   In a wide, heavy-based pan, melt 30 g of the butter over a medium flame. Add the diced pancetta and render until the fat is translucent and the meat begins to colour at the edges. Add the finely chopped onion and cook gently until soft and golden but not browned. The pan is ready when the onion is fragrant and yields easily to a spoon.
3. 3
   Add the Vialone Nano rice to the pan and stir to coat every grain in the fat. Toast briefly until the edges of the grains turn from opaque to slightly translucent. The rice is ready to receive liquid when it gives off a faint, dry, nutty smell.
4. 4
   Begin adding the hot pea pod broth, one ladle at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition to be mostly absorbed before adding the next. Maintain a steady, active simmer throughout. This is where the dish lives or dies: the broth must be added with patience and the consistency kept deliberately looser than a risotto at every stage — risi e bisi must remain all'onda (wavy) and should flow slightly when the pan is tilted.
5. 5
   When the rice has been cooking for approximately 13 minutes, add the shelled fresh peas. Continue adding broth as needed and cook for a further 5 minutes only. The peas must retain their vivid green colour; they are done when they yield to gentle pressure between the fingers but are not floury.
6. 6
   Remove the pan from the heat. Add the remaining 30 g of cold butter and the grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Stir and fold — the mantecare — until the butter is fully incorporated and the surface has a gentle sheen. Adjust salt. The dish is ready when a spoonful released back into the pan spreads and flows of its own accord rather than holding a mound.
7. 7
   Ladle immediately into warm shallow bowls. Scatter a small handful of pea shoots over each portion. Serve at once; risi e bisi waits for no one — it tightens within minutes.