Risi e Bisi

Ingredients

• 300g Vialone Nano rice
• 1kg fresh peas in their pods, or 400g podded peas plus 200g pods
• 1 small onion
• 60g pancetta, finely diced, or omit for a vegetarian version
• 1.5 litres light chicken or vegetable stock
• 40g butter
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 60g Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
• A small handful of flat-leaf parsley
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Before you cook

• Pod the peas and keep the pods, discarding any that are yellowed or tough
• Wash the pods well
• Chop the onion finely
• Chop the parsley leaves

Steps

1. Put the pea pods into a pan with the stock and bring it to a simmer.
2. Cook the pods for 30 minutes, until they are completely soft.
3. Blitz the pods and stock together, then push the mixture through a sieve, pressing hard to extract all the pulp.
4. Return the pale green broth to the pan and keep it hot.
5. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a wide heavy pan over medium-low heat.
6. Add the diced pancetta and cook it for 4 minutes until the fat runs.
7. Add the chopped onion and soften it for 6 minutes without letting it brown.
8. Stir in the podded peas and let them warm through for 2 minutes.
9. Add the rice and toast it for 2 minutes so every grain is coated.
10. Pour in two ladles of the hot pea broth and stir.
11. Keep adding broth a ladle at a time for about 16 minutes, stirring gently, until the rice is tender with a slight bite.
12. Add extra broth at the end so the dish is looser than a risotto and eats with a spoon.
13. Take the pan off the heat and beat in the Parmigiano.
14. Season with salt and pepper, stir through the parsley and serve in warm soup plates.