This is the most famous Venetian soup. The Doge used to eat it - observing a strict cerimonial - on the feast-day of St. Mark, Venice's patron saint. Lightly fry some onion and half a clove of garlic in oil and butter. When the onion turns golden, add a generous quantity of peas and some broth, and let cook for about 10 minutes. Then add a handful of rice per person, mix very well, and completely cover with good broth. Let cook over moderate flame for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more broth if necessary. Toward the end of cooking time, add salt and pepper to taste, a hit of butter and generous spoonful of fresh parmesan cheese. This "soup" should actually have a quite dense consistency. Fresh, just-shelled peas are recommended.