Rizi-Bisi (Rice with Peas)
Recipe from the book "The First Ukrainian Everyday Cookbook" (1-ша українська загально-практична кухня), 1929, by Olha Franko.
Rizi-Bisi (which ought to be called Rizi-Bizi) is an ancient Venetian dish, not unlike a thick soup — the risotto technique came along only later. It was made with rice and bizi, the local dialect word for peas, which is where the name Rizi-e-bisi comes from. Peas have been grown in Italy's Veneto region since the Middle Ages. In time, Benedictine monks settled in Lumignano, and the Lumignano varieties of peas are still considered among the finest to this day — wonderfully sweet and quick to ripen. For their Rizi-Bisi, Italians also grow a special variety of rice called Vialone nano, which is slightly smaller than risotto rice, has a higher starch content, and holds its shape better during cooking. For several centuries now, Venetians have traditionally prepared this simple yet elegant dish on the 25th of April — both the Festival of Spring and the feast day of Saint Mark, the patron saint of Venice.
Ingredients
- 900 ml rosol (a clear meat broth traditional in Central European cooking)
- 250 g peas
- 180 g rice* for risotto
- 40 g butter
- 1 onion
- 50 g bacon
- fresh flat-leaf parsley
- salt, pepper
Preparation
- Heat the butter, add the finely chopped onion and bacon, and fry lightly until softened.
- Add the parsley, peas, rice, and part of the broth. Cook over low heat for 15–20 minutes.
- Gradually add the remaining broth, keeping an eye on the consistency — the dish should be neither too thin nor too dry.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
ryzh — rice (archaic Ukrainian term)