Giro d'Italia '20 - Stage 17: Bassano del Grappa to Madonna di Campiglio
Today, the riders were back in Veneto and ended up further north in the region of Trentino-Alto Adige. I hope you are singing these words like I do when I type them out. Italian is such a beautiful, rhapsodic language. My favorite part of today’s stage was seeing footage of the snow-capped Dolomites. Soon, skiers from across the world will be flocking to this picturesque region of Italy for winter sports. I wish I could be there myself.
My lift ticket today only went so far as my kitchen, but as the dish became fragrant and especially as I consumed it, I was transported to a lovely Italian snow-encased ski lodge for I had a rustic meal infamously known as Risi e Bisi. It’s as fun to eat as it is to pronounce. But, making it? Well, let’s just say the prep work is like trudging up a mountain with your skis or board because the lift broke down.
I spent much more time prepping than cooking and the end-result was very tasty but a little clumsy in the mouth. Don’t you worry, though. I’ve made some changes to the recipe below which only impacts the mouthfeel, not the labor-of-love inherent to making the dish succulent. I, personally, think that’s important. I love slow and low cooking. I’m not a fan of Instapots, or even mechanical slow cookers. Life is too hectic and crazy and rushed as it is. I want to cook my food. I thoroughly enjoy going through the steps of making something, with my hands and skill. Trust me, you can totally tell the difference when the meal hits the plate and when you smell the developed aromas and taste the complex layers of slow, methodical cooking. Plus, we shouldn’t lose the knowledge of these home cooks and their meals, even the most basic dishes like this one.
I did a little sourcing around before I made this dish and was disappointed to find another, extremely popular, food blog slapped a fast-food approach on a dish like this. It’s as insulting as it is lazy...I guess you can say it’s the “American way”. It’s similar to when you see a site like Cook’s Illustrated painstakingly research and test the methods and then educate everyone on how it was developed and scientifically explain why the method is proper and some narcissist comes along and says “I swapped these 3 things out and skipped steps 2 and 4...it turned out AWFUL. This recipe STINKS!” Thanks for your input, bean-brain.
Similarly, today, (let’s call them “DOOF25” to protect their identity) presented their take on Marcella Hazan’s Risi e Bisi and basically said [who has time for this, just throw in some frozen peas and chicken broth]...actually they literally said the following: “It is not a feast of flavors.” Really?! You’re using frozen peas and you decided to also use only chicken broth; not make your own broth, or, at minimum, flavor the broth with the shells from the peas like Marcella told you to do, DOOF25. I understand taking shortcuts, I’m even going to suggest one. But, don’t short shrift a classic because you messed with it and decided to make some bad decisions.
So, friendos, here is my adaptation of a classic...because when you alter someone’s recipe, it’s the respectful way to notify the reader, as opposed to besmirching someone’s lauded work.
Risi e Bisi (Rice and Peas)
Adapted from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, Marcella Hazan
For this recipe to be robust, you have to shell your own peas and use the pods to enhance the broth. I will suggest using cheesecloth to contain the pods as they do not fully disintegrate in the broth as advertised, in the original recipe, and little stringy, fleshy parts end up in the rice. By using cheesecloth, you can also avoid peeling the membrane as Marcella Hazan instructed in her original recipe. The dish should be more loose than risotto, but the rice will soak up the liquid if you cook too long. Just add a touch more borth at the end, if necessary.
2 lbs. Fresh young peas (weight includes pods)
½ stick of butter
Shallot (2 tbsp. minced)
3 ½ cups of beef stock
1 cup of Arborio rice
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
½ cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
Shell your peas, and reserve 1 cup of the empty pods. Rinse in cold water, drain and reserve the peas. With the reserved pods, place them into a small pile in cheesecloth and secure with butcher string. Try to make the satchel into as flat a square as possible to allow for maximum contact with the broth.
In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat and sauté the shallot for a few minutes, then add the peas and shells, and a heavy pinch of salt, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes. Add 3 cups of the stock and bring to a boil. Then, cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low. Gently simmer for 10 minutes. Then stir in the rice and remaining broth. Cover the pot and continue cooking for about 20 minutes, stirring once or twice. When the rice has cooked, turn off the heat, remove the secured pods, and stir in the cheese and parsley. Serve immediately.
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Copyright 2020, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
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