THE RICE OF THE MARQUIS DIONISI

THE RICE OF THE MARQUIS DIONISI

The Dionisi Family, descending from the Crusader Dionisio dei Dionisi (1250) was one of the first families to cultivate rice in the Veronese Plain.

In 1681 Ottavio Dionisi with his “supplica” asked the Venetian Magistrate to convert some properties into “risaia di valle” with annual sowing located in Malavicina (nowadays Bonavicina)

The Rice threshed on a “selese” built in 1748 to favour its drying otherwise “nella raccolta ne andava sempre a male”, was then sent to the mill to remove the tegument.

As the Dionisi family did not owe a mill, they had to use those of Canossa in Cerea, Pompei on the Menago river, Malaspina in Concamarise and Giustiniani in Angiari.

White rice was sold on the Legnago market, one of the main and most quoted cereal marketing centres in the Veronese area.

From the Legnago market, the sold rice was then loaded onto barges and transported to the Rialto market in Venice down the Adige river.

VIALONE NANO VERONESE RICE

Vialone Nano Veronese Rice is obtained from seeds selected from the Oriza Japponica specie,

a variety of Vialone Nano. The grain is medium large, rounded and semi-long with protruding tooth, a solid head and a rounded cross-section; it has an extended centre “pearl”.

Vialone Nano Rice grows on the Veronese plain irrigated with spring waters.

The Veronese Rice differs itself from the other ones produced in different paddy fields for the quality of soil, which is alkaline, and for the sweetness and purity of spring waters.

THE “RISOTTO” OF VILLA DIONISI

An old Family’s Recipe

INGREDIENTS for 4 persons:

- 320 gr. Vialone Nano Veronese Rice

- 260 gr. Chicken liver

- vegetable broth with carrot, onion, celery

- white wine, Grana Parmesan cheese, butter, onion

- garlic, parsley, rosemary, sage, salt and cinnamon.

1. Prepare the vegetable broth.

2. Dip the chicken liver for few minutes into boiling water. Drain, rinse and fry (o sauté) them with garlic, rosemary and sage, add the wine and let it evaporate. Meanwhile in a saucepan fry gently the onion with a knob of butter, add the rice roast it and stir the wine.

3. Let it cook adding little by little the broth. At half cooking add the sauté chicken liver.

4. When rice is cooked whisk the parmesan and a knob of butter.

Serve with a sprinkle on cinnamon and chopped parsley.