Today we’re used to thinking about risi e bisi as a typical Venetian dish – from Venice, Vicenza, and Verona in particular. And even if that’s true, the recipe also has a history linked to Istria – and the Slovenian town of Strunjan in particular. Chef Tomaž Bevčič from the restaurant Rizi e Bizi, named after these ancient ties, tells us everything we need to know.
The history of risi e bisi
Whether we’re talking about the Slovenian ‘rizi e bizi’ or the Venetian ‘rixi e bixi,’ the dish is always based on the same ingredients – rice and peas (and bacon). It’s somewhere between a risotto and a creamy soup for its soft, heartwarming texture. For this reason, risi e bisi is a pleasant and widespread dish both in winter and in spring, when the peas are fresh and in season. Today, the ingredients used to make it locally come from various regions – some even from the nearby Berici Hills in Vicenza, and more specifically, from the municipalities of Lumignano and Longare. But this wasn’t always the case. In the past, peas were traditionally cultivated in the area of Strunjan – and historically, only the very best and sweetest peas from the harvest would be sent to the Duke of Venice.
Chef Tomaž Bevčič
"In Istria, we’re used to this tradition – that is, to give away the best of what we have. In this sense, our recipes have been historically considered ‘peasant cuisine,’ since we’ve had to sell our most exclusive products to sustain our way of life,” continues Tomaž. "And so even with peas, the most beautiful ones were always given to the Serenissima Republic of Venice, where they used to make risi e bisi. That’s why I named my restaurant ‘Rizi e Bizi’ – to honor the memory of this piece of our history, this dish and this connection from the past,” says Tomaž.
The restaurant Rizi and Bizi
Tomaž Bevčič has always been a chef – first in Ankaran and then in other places in Istria, training with great masters such as Evelin Grizon or Marjan Mislej. Ten years ago, he decided to open his own restaurant in Portorož, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Slovenia – along with Piran, Izola and Koper (also because these are the only towns on the coast in Slovenia). For his dishes, Tomaž mainly sources his ingredients from Croatia, and he’s always searching for the best fresh catch of seafood, since most of his dishes try to stay in theme with the coastal feel of his restaurants.
"I like to bring out all the flavor possibilities from any one ingredient – so I can understand how to transform it, but always with respect.” Bevčič’s menu changes about four times a year, but the chef always orients the dishes toward seafood. That’s why his version of rizi e bizi doesn’t call for bacon (like the traditional recipe), but instead contains red shrimp. He uses red shrimp from Kvarner, Croatia – a place known for having the most valuable shrimp in the Mediterranean. So much so that he adds them raw so you can taste their full flavor.
Tomaž Bevčič’s recipe for rizi e bizi
Serves 4 - You can also make this recipe in the vegetarian version (i.e. without the addition of shrimp or bacon). In this case, instead of fish broth, make a vegetable broth like they did in the past: Cover every part of the peas in water (including the cleaned pods) and boil until a rather thick broth forms. Filter and use as the broth to cook the risi e bisi.
Ingredients:
200g fresh raw pink shrimp
200g Acquerello rice
200 g tender peas
Salt, to taste
White pepper, to taste
Dry and full-bodied white wine, to taste
Fish broth
Lemon-infused olive oil
2 limes
Method:
Add the rice to a heated pot. Stir until fragrant. Add the wine and some fish broth to cover. Cook over low heat. In the meantime, blend ¾ of the peas with some fish broth. Towards the end of cooking the rice, add the peas and pea cream. Once the rice is cooked, taste and adjust salt and pepper. Then place on a soup plate. Place the shrimp on top seasoned with salt and lemon-infused olive oil. Grate plenty of lime zest on top and serve.
To accompany this dish, we suggest a local Malvasia Istrian wine, like the one from the SteraS wine cellar that was recommended to us by Bevčič’s wife, Patrizia – a sommelier and lifetime companion to Tomaž – no matter where they end up (so long as it’s near the sea we imagine).