Risi e Bisi, Italian Rice and Peas

1. Stage

Sauté the shallots: Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the shallots and stir to combine. Let these sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Stage

Heat the stock and water: Meanwhile, heat up the stock and 1 cup of water in a small pot. You want this at a simmer while you make the rice.

3. Stage

Add the garlic and prosciutto to shallots: Add the garlic and the diced prosciutto to the pot with the shallots, stir well and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Stage

Add the rice: Pour in the rice, stir again and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

5. Stage

Slowly ladle in stock: Ladle some of the hot stock into the pot and start stirring. Risi e bisi is cooked like risotto and is supposed to be pretty soupy, so you need a lot of water and you need to stir it constantly. Let this first ladle of stock cook down before you add the next. Keep adding stock, letting it cook down and stirring until you’re done with the simmering stock. It is likely that you may need at least one more cup of water to finish the dish, because all that stirring in an open pot means you evaporate more liquid than you would when you cook rice the normal way, i.e., covered. If you think you are going to need more water, add more to the simmering stock.

6. Stage

When you get to this last cup of water, add the peas: Keep stirring until the water has almost cooked away. Taste some rice and test for salt and doneness: Add a little salt and some more hot tap water if the rice is still crunchy – you want the rice to be a little al dente, but not so much you’re gnawing on raw grain.

7. Stage

Add the parsley and Parmesan and mix well: Your finished rice should be slightly soupy, so it’s OK to add a tad more water before serving.