Panissa

Name: Panissa (Beans and Rice)
Yield: For 6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 100 ml (3½ fl oz) red wine, preferably nebbiolo or spanna; 100 ml (3½ fl oz) red wine, preferably nebbiolo or spanna; 400 g (14 oz) risotto rice such as carnaroli or arborio; 100 ml (3½ fl oz) red wine, preferably nebbiolo or spanna; salt and pepper; 2 litres (3½ pints) chicken stock (from cubes is ok); salt and pepper; 4 tbsp olive oil; 1 large onion, finely sliced; 300 g (10½ oz) dried borlotti beans; 400 g (14 oz) risotto rice such as carnaroli or arborio; 400 g (14 oz) risotto rice such as carnaroli or arborio; 100 g (3½ oz) pancetta, cut into small cubes; 55 g (1¾ oz) parma ham, cut into small cubes

Beans and Rice

Preparation info

For
6

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Carluccio's Complete Italian Food

By Antonio Carluccio and Priscilla Carluccio

Published 1997

About

Originally from Vercelli, this is a risotto with beans, not to be confused with paniscia, a similar but much more complicated dish from the town of Novara. Ideally it should be made with fresh borlotti beans but because they are hard to come by, especially outside Italy, you could use the dried ones.

Ingredients

300 g (10½ oz) dried borlotti beans
4 tbsp olive oil

Europe
Italy
Vercelli
Novara
Main course
Gluten-free
Mediterranean

Method

Soak the beans in plenty of water overnight, then drain. Put them in a saucepan, cover with fresh water and simmer for about 2 hours or until tender. Drain.

Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the onion, pancetta and Parma ham and fry for 5-6 minutes. Add the rice and beans and stir well. Add the red wine and then continue as for making risotto.