Risi, Bisi e FragoeRice, Peas and Strawberries
In the 800“s Venetia, risi, bisi e fragoe (white, green and red) was the gastronomic equivalent of the cry Viva Verdi against the Austro-Ungarian Occupants. Up with VERDI, the name of the composer, but also an acronym for Vittorio Emanuele Re d“Italia - Vittorio Emanuele (Savoia) King of Italy
Here is a "limerick" from the times of our great-grandfathers: risi, bisi e fragoe, erbette rave cotte, tempesta sue Sątare e piova al Redentor. Or: "Rice, peas and strawberries, stewed sweet turnips, storm on the Zattere and rain on the Redentore". Rain usually never miss the Redentore Holiday, at least two drops... The turnips are red and whites, their leaves are green: the colors of the Italian Flag; probably the limerick wants to hand down the memory of an independentists rebellion occurred in the Zattere area.
If it is fairly probable that the same Risi e Bisi might be a dish from Austro-Hungarian cuisine, like all courses based on sweet pumpkin and rice and potatoes, which are infact observable in the cookery of all Italic Historical Centres that were subject to that Empire, for the risi e bisi they seem to exhist evidences of presents of this dish to the Doge from paysants of the islands, in times far before 1807.
Four Persons Need:
300 grs of rice
300 grs of small peas
50 grs cube-cutted bacon (facultative)
wild strawberries (or from farm but not too big)
one chopped onion
50 grs butter plus one nut
one olive oil spoon
one lt. bouillon, parmisan cheese
chopped parsley, salt
Modus Operandi
In a casserole, brown onion and bacon in oil and butter at low fire, till the onion starts melting. Add the peas, flavour them for a minute and moisten with a glass of broth, add the parsley. When the peas are half the way (15 minutes) join the remaining broth and take to boil. Add the rice, salt and start cooking continuously blending the course until the liquid will be completely absorbed. Out of the fire, cream it up with butter, parmisan and strawberries, leave few minutes to rest in the dish and serve.
|