“Moeche” is a Venetian soft-shell crabs. If you happen to be in Venice in spring or in the fall, you mustn’t miss tasting the Venetian “moeche” soft-shell crabs, a true icon of the local cuisine.

The tradition of capturing the male crabs, and “maturing” them in the characteristic wooden crates in the internal waters of the lagoon, waiting for their shells to soften, goes back to the year 1500 at Chioggia (near Venice), and is one of the few gastronomical traditions that has remained miraculously intact over the centuries!

They can be deliciously prepared in several ways:  simply dusted in flour and deep-fried or “col pien”, which is to “drown” them in milk and egg yolk, then dust with flour and deep-fry but in both cases it should be accompanied by “bianco perla” polenta. This polenta is superb and is a great match.