When it comes the season of fresh peas, one of the very first recipes that come to my mind is this traditional recipe of Veneto region 🙂

It might seem a risotto, but it’s not made with the usual process of the risotto. The rice is not usually first toasted, and all the soup is added in one time, and the final result it can be sometimes between a risotto and kind of a rice soup.

Because of the place of origin, the traditional type of rice used for this recipe is the Vialone Nano, but also a good Carnaroli can be perfect.

The basic recipe is more simple than this, the pods are not being used usually, but if you have time I suggest to use them, it makes the final taste just better (but in that case be sure they are organic).

Also the use of the goose meat is not part of the basic recipe, but “oca in onto” (goose confit, goose meat slowly cooked at low temperature for long time in its fat) it’s also a traditional product of the peasant tradition in that part of Italy, and to add it to this recipe it was making this dish a dish for the feasts. And it really makes a difference on the final result 🙂

Let’s see the recipe.

INGREDIENTS (4 people):

• 300 g rice (Vialone Nano, in alternative Carnaroli)
• 1 kg whole fresh peas (I used 400 g peas and 300-400 g of their pods, the better looking ones)
• 1,2 liter of vegetable broth
• 60-70 g butter
• 50 g pancetta/guanciale
• 1 onion
• 1 bunch of fresh parsley
• 40 g of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano
• freshly ground black pepper
• salt
• “oca in onto”, goose confit, at your choice

1. First of all wash the peas well, then open the pods and divide them from the peas.
2. Then prepare the vegetable broth (with the usual carrot, celery, onion, etc.), when it’s ready filter it from the vegetables, and add the peas pods to boil, for about 1 hour. After that time, with an immersion blender reduce the pods into a cream with the broth, then filter it.
3. Then take a casserole/pot and heat 40 grams of butter with the pancetta/guanciale cut into small pieces.
4. When the pancetta/guanciale have a nice color, add the finely chopped onion and cook until soft.
5. Then add the peas, wait a couple of minutes until they get the flavors. If you decide to use the oca in onto (goose confit), you can add it now.
6. Then add all the broth, and when it starts to boil add the rice. From this moment count the time written on the rice package. Add some freshly ground black pepper, and season with some salt. Keep stirring sometimes.
7. When the rice is almost cooked, you should see that the rice has absorbed most of the broth, but something should remain.
8. When it’s ready, add the finely chopped parsley, the freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano and the remaining butter, and mix together.
9. Serve it 🙂