Italian for beginners

Hello Internet, it’s been a while, but it’s not you, it’s me. 

I really don’t have anything to say for myself except that lately has been uncharacteristically manic, so anything to do with the kitchen had to take a back seat, bar bleary eyed staggers for cups of tea several times a day. I'm not going to lie, I really missed it, and I missed the way the house smells with bakery in it. I assumed that as soon as my exams were over (and, keep your fingers crossed for me, hopefully they are), I'd dive onto my mixing bowl and hand whisk like old friends, back from a long journey. 

But what can I say; it was hot, I was hungry, and suddenly I wanted to make soup. Admittedly, soup you will see no pictures of, because only its mother could love it on looks alone. 

You might say that a comeback soup on a warm summery day should have been light, a little bit fancy, and maybe even served cold. But gazpacho, I’m afraid, remains one of those things I think is a ‘bit weird’.  I craved the full mouth satisfaction of something hot with bits in it. What I wanted was risi e bisi- a pea and rice risotto-soup from Venice. Or in any case, something rather like it. And when I realised it was in fact the Feast day of St Mark, the traditional day for serving risi e bisi to the Doge (alright, I was a little slow in posting this!), it seemed like fate was handing me a soup spoon. So out came the saucepans and a lot of frozen peas and off I went. 

Basterdised Risi e Bisi
(For anyone after the genuine article, please accept my apologies, for you are about to be horrified)

I started off with some pretty lovely chicken stock I’d whipped up a day or so ago. I love how it sounds like this is normal for me but really it’s a huge coincidence. More fate, perchance? 
Then I added frozen peas (a couple of good handfuls) and some leek (probably about a 10cm long piece) and cooked until soft.

This is when it got a little unorthodox (sorry Venetians!) by blended the peas, leeks and stock to make a lovely green mess.
I added some dried basil and simmered with a little risotto rice and some fresh fettuccine that was just begging for a sweet green bath. 
Then, in a final nod to the sun coming out, I threw in plenty of fresh mint.
 

The result was pretty incredible, although it probably did smell just about better than it tasted.  It tasted just like something green should taste, like the smell of grass and mint and just-done peas, with the risotto and pasta satisfyingly chewy and mouth filling.

It might not be the real Italian job, but it’s good enough for me.