Venetian Rice & Peas

This dish was invented in Venice during a time when contact with the Arab world left its mark on Italian food. This influence is visible in the traditional risi e bisi (rice and peas) recipe by a notable lack of alcohol. While this dish isn’t quite a risotto—it’s meant to be a little soupier—it’s common today to cook it more like a risotto and include white wine. A real risi e bisi is made with fresh peas, and the pea pods are included in the broth for extra flavor. Fresh peas are almost im