Venetian rice and peas (Risi e bisi)

1. Finely chop the onion and pancetta; bring the stock to the boil and keep it at a gentle simmer.

2. In a wide pan, fry the pancetta in half the butter and the olive oil for 2-3 minutes, add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent.

3. Add the peas, pour in two ladlefuls of stock and cook for 5 minutes.

4. Add the rice and 3-4 more ladlefuls of stock and cook for 16-18 minutes, stirring often and topping up with stock a ladleful at a time; the result should be looser than a risotto - almost a thick soup you eat with a spoon.

5. Take off the heat, stir in the remaining butter, the grated parmesan and the parsley, add salt if needed and leave to rest for 2 minutes.

6. Serve in deep plates, with a spoon.

Tip: Venetians say risi e bisi is "neither soup nor risotto" - if it's too thick, don't hesitate to add another ladleful of hot stock.