"Moeche"
The crabs are first caught and then selected because not all of them are suitable for molting. After the selection, they are placed in large baskets placed in shallow water in which the molting takes place. Flies are eaten fried and whole with their legs and head. The carapace is soft and they are very tasty! They are usually served with polenta and with other fried fish.
"Moeche"
Fried you don't expect
Moeche fritte is a delicious dish, a traditional Venetian delicacy, in the dialect moeche means soft. These crabs are very valuable, expensive (the price may vary from year to season but is usually between 60 and 70 euros per kg but sometimes even 90€) and rare, in fact, they are consumed only in 2 periods of the year between March and May and between September and November. In this specific period, the crabs molt, they abandon their carapace waiting for a bigger and stronger one to be created, just in this period they are selected.
"Garusoi"
The lagoon in the mouth
‘Garusoli’ (pronounced garùsoi). Murice (‘garusolo’, for us Venetians) once provided the basis from which the purple color was obtained. It is fished with trawls on the muddy seabed of the upper Adriatic, it is a carnivorous gastropod mollusc that looks like a big snail (this is how it is often called a ‘sea snail’). They are famous for being usually cooked in stew, then when served they are extracted from the shell and seasoned with garlic, oil, parsley and accompanied by the inevitable yellow polenta.
"Bogoei"
The sea in your mouth
Cattle are snails that usually live on land (not in water) or are found in brush near the sea. These little snails are what we call ‘bovoets’. They are collected from April to October near the coast. Covoeti are a typical Venetian tradition, they absolutely cannot miss the Day of the Redeemer, which is celebrated in Venice on the third Saturday of July, with fireworks in the lagoon and celebrations until dawn.
"Baccalà Mantecato"
A legendary recipe
Even this fish-based recipe has a legendary origin to say the least. In Venice, almost every place offers creamed cod, from taverns to restaurants to Bacari. This is a traditional and popular dish that is eaten as an appetizer or during an aperitif, perhaps on a bed of polenta.
"Sarde in Saor"
Sarde in Flavor
Among the most famous dishes of the Venetian tradition, Sarde in Saor (“Sarde in flavor”) undoubtedly stand out. They are the perfect appetizer or even the tasty cicchetto to be savored at aperitif time. A bit of onion from the freshest fish, and voila! One of the most iconic dishes of the lagoon tradition is served!
"Risotto de Gò"
For determined palates
Gò is the name of a fish caught in the Venice lagoon whose name, in reality, is Ghiozzo. It doesn’t look particularly interesting but it’s quite fatty and the broth you prepare with Gò is really tasty. This is why de Gò risotto has become one of the most representative typical dishes of the entire lagoon. It is also called Burano Risotto but, in reality, it can be enjoyed in different places in Venice and Cavallino.
If you like intense seafood flavors, this risotto is certainly a must try!
If you like fish, don’t let the black on the plate hold you back! The taste will reward you! Just remember to protect your clothes because, as with all inks, even squid ink stains a lot!
"Seppe col nero"
Cuttlefish in black
They are also known as the “Venetian Cuttlefish with Black”. This is because the cuttlefish that are prepared in our lagoon are cooked with their own ink. In reality, the procedure requires that only at the end of the preparation the so-called “cuttlefish” is added, but the result is truly exceptional.
"Polenta e Schie"
A dish to try
Even the ‘Schie’ are among the most interesting fish in the Venetian and lagoon traditions. In particular, with “polenta and schie”, we mean particular shrimp, rather small, that are prepared stewed and served on a bed of soft polenta. This dish is also prepared as an appetizer or as a tasty snack to consume during your aperitif!
The specialty is typical of the island of Murano where, precisely, the glassworks furnaces are located.
"Bisatto sull'ara"
The taste becomes strong
If ‘Bisato’ is the Venetian dialect version of anguilla, ‘ara’ refers instead to the stone from the glassworks furnaces on which it is roasted (especially the smaller specimens). Thanks to this cooking, the eel meat loses its fat and becomes very soft. It is flavored with bay leaves, for a very delicious result.
"Bigoi in salsa"
Pasta with anchovy sauce
Bigoli in sauce are a typical first course from Veneto that, according to tradition, were eaten during lean days, such as Christmas Eve, Good Friday and Ash Wednesday.
Bigoli in sauce are made with a simple but very tasty dressing, consisting of finely sliced onions and anchovies (or sardines) slowly dissolved in olive oil.
Delicious and sweet, it’s a delicacy that you should definitely try if you visit Venice in spring.
"Risi e Bisi"
The real Venetian dish
‘Risi e bisi’ literally means ‘rice with peas. ‘ It is not called risotto because, in reality, it is more than anything else a soup prepared especially at the blossoming of spring. On the contrary, risi e bisi is the traditional dish of the Feast of the Sensa, the Wedding of Venice with the Sea, which is held at the end of the month of May.