“Risi- pisi” is rice and peas . Some folks call it “risi e bisi.” My guess is that the former term “pisi,” may be closer to the original Italian. “Bisi” is probably Americanized Italian. Italian Americans like my father and his brothers and sisters. spoke no Italian. So, when someone said "risi e pisi" they heard "risi bisi." Without getting into the complexities of linguistics, Italian “p’s” do not have the breathy American sound that we make (especially if you are from the Philadelphia area) so second generations Italian Americans hear a “b” for a “p.” This sound change is something like what has happened to “pasta e fagioli” which in America became “pasta fazool.” Language is an interesting thing.Language tells us so much about who we are. Even so, the full Italian name for “risi pisi is “risotto e piselli,” or “rice and peas.”
With linguistic variations considered, I don't remember that we had a name for this dish. I think is was just rice and peas. When I asked my Irish mother who learned from her Italian mother-in-law, she could not remember a name either. It was just rice and peas. “Risi pisi” was a staple of our food table, second only to spaghetti and macaroni. I just loved it. As a kid I would dive into a dish of rice and peas for dinner, lunch and even breakfast. How many times did I dig my hand into a dish of leftover rice and peas nested in the back of the refrigerator? Rice and peas is rich and satisfying. It has a certain texture that is solid and perhaps even more satisfying than the loose structure of pasta.  from "I Cereali" (click on image)
While “risi pisi”, or “rice and peas” was a kitchen staple, the use of rice in Italian American cooking is something of a culinary puzzle. Most Italian Americans were from South Italy where, in theory rice was not common. So, when I look at this dish from a food history perspective it seems odd that rice and peas was such an important part of our cuisine. My father’s ancestors were from South Italy where rice is supposed to be less common. Yet rice made repeated appearances on our food table. When, for example, we had chicken cutlets, the cutlets were always accompanied by rice, never by potatoes. (I remember once being horrified when as a child at a friend’s house for dinner they served chicken with mashed potatoes.Chicken and mashed potatoes just don’t work. The texture of chicken does not pair with mashed potatoes. The Spanish are most sensitive to the pairing or chicken with rice. (arroz con pollo) and so are the Italians.
|
 The Famed Table
The only way to pair potatoes with chicken is when you have a roast chicken and you roast the potatoes underneath. For roast chicken and roast potatoes the French are the masters of this combination. The deli’s in France often feature roast chickens turning on a spit with the fat dripping to a bed of potatoes below.
The touching and memorable film “Big Night” illustrates a very early and unsuccessful attempt to introduce risotto to America.
Other than pasta, there is nothing as satisfying as a rich and dense risi pisi. It goes wonderfully with Fried chicken or veal cutlets. If you have the time, use arborio rice, if not use any other simple boil variety, even jasmine or basmati.
|
__________________________________________________________________________________________
What you need
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What you need
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
|
Equipment
Heavy duty pot, such as an enameled cast iron Wooden spoon Casserole dish or pie plate 
Le Creuset
|
Ingredients
Carolina Rice or Arborio (One cup)
Chicken stock ( two to three cups.) Olive oil Peas Grated Parmesan Other grated cheese to taste Nutmeg Salt and pepper Bread crumbs Butter |
Getting Started
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Rice and oil
Heat olive oil in the pan. Add the rice and stir until all the grains are coated. 
Start the peas in the microwave to defrost the.
Add the peas and grated cheese to the rice. |
Slowly add pre-heated chicken stock.
If you are using Arborio rice this process takes some time. You can only add a bit at a time. If you are using American rice just the stock slowly and continue stirring. 
Turn the rice and peas into a pie dish or casserole and sprinkle with Parmesan and breadcrumbs. Dot with butter and place under the broiler for a few minutes until a crust is formed..
|
Bake and serve