Portici al mattinoYouth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

We are in Campo della Pescheria, in Venice.
It is almost dawn, but you have to be early to the Rialto market if you want to get fresh delicacies.

Pescatori del mattinoYouth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

Today, Rialto Market houses the traditional fish market under the Logge della Pescaria (Fish Market Porticoes) and the fruit and vegetable market in the adjacent Campo de l’Erbaria (Piazza of the Herbs).

Un moderno gondoliere.Youth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

The market opens at 7:00 am and closes at 12:30 pm.
A typical modern gondolier on the phone, awaiting the first tourists.

ImbarcazioniYouth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

Boats docking near Rialto Market to unload fish, fruit and vegetables.

Prospettiva mercato canaleYouth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

A view of the market.

Verze NostraneYouth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

IlluminazioniYouth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

The market is also a place for exchanging greetings; many tourists go to see the market but those who really know and buy the typical products are the owners of local restaurants.

Banco frutta e verduraYouth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

Greengrocers and fishmongers feel the change of tradition acutely: their products would once be sold out only minutes after placing them on the stall, but now, unfortunately, they remain unsold.

Castraure di Sant EramsoYouth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

Typical Sant’Erasmo violet artichoke,
the “castraùre”, the first bud.

Show lessRead more

Bottino pregiatoYouth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

The fishermen do not react when a seagull helps itself to a precious morsel; it is better that someone makes good use of unsold fish rather than throwing it away.

Banco di pesce fresco 2Youth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

MoscardiniYouth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

Moscardini are one of the traditional boiled antipasti of Venice.
They are small octopuses, boiled and garnished with celery and oil and served cut in halves. Obviously, the beaks are removed!

L'arte del PolipoYouth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

Polipo e PolentaYouth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

And so, from the market stalls we come to the preparation of this excellent yet simple and tasty dish, polenta and octopus. When the sea and the countryside meet.

Pesce go/ghiozzoYouth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

It may not be nice to look at, but the grass goby fish is a typical traditional Venetian first course (especially in Burano). After boiling for 25 minutes, it is removed and squeezed in a cloth, and the juice extracted is added to the broth, which is boiled until it becomes a concentrate, to which other fish stock is added...

RetromercatoYouth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

Le anguilleYouth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

Eel, or “bisatto grande”, makes a succulent traditional Venetian main course. When grilled, it looks almost like a large steak.

Seppioline frescheYouth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

Another main course worthy of the lagunar tradition are small, tender grilled cuttlefish. The best time to find them is in October and November.

CappelungheYouth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

Le cappelonghe pronte da mangiare.Youth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

VENICE lives on antipasti, especially shellfish and crustaceans.
Here we have clams, mussels, scallops, canestrini and razor shells.... grilled with olive oil and garlic. A delicacy!

SchieYouth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

There is an entire tradition of boiled antipasti: mantis shrimp, prawns, cuttlefish eggs, sea snails known as garusoli, spider crabs (giant crabs shaped like onions) and musky octopus. Here you see the grey shrimp that are eaten fried or with polenta!

Ovaie di seppiaYouth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

Lumache di mareYouth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

Le SardeYouth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

The sardines are of the smaller variety and are either cooked Greek style, with vinegar, or in tomato sauce with capers. There is also the recipe mentioned by Goldoni in his book “Servant of Two Masters” from 1746, featuring sardines prepared with candied citron (imported from Asia), raisins and pine nuts.

particolare sul piatto delle sarde pronteYouth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

Fry the sardines in flour and boiling oil, 14 g of sardines = 1 kg of white onions, cooked very slowly with a dash of vinegar in the saucepan; the onion must become sweet. Cover the sardines with the onions, raisins and pine nuts, and a layer of oil for 3 days.

Image missing

As you can see from their price, Moeche are a very special dish. Moeche are crabs at the change of season, when they moult and shed their shells, remaining without a shell for only 6 hours. The brackish water helps the new shell to recalcify, but this is where the moecante, a trade dating back to the 14-15th century in Burano and Chioggia, comes in. The moecante, of whom very few remain, has the task of knowing when the crabs will moult and must ready to catch them and place them in fresh water, so that the shells do not reform. This is why they are so expensive; it is a small miracle. An interesting fact is that they are also very popular in China and, with the recent increase in Venice’s Chinese population, new recipes have appeared (soft-shell crab).

Pesce SampieroYouth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

TYPICAL FISH, DELICIOUS BREADED AND FRIED.
BURANO-STYLE RECIPE: with beaten egg: allow them to absorb the egg while alive, coat them in flour and then fry them in oil.

I famosi bacariYouth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

Here is Marco (my faithful guide, son of Venetian restaurateurs) with a glass of wine and his cousin, who has graciously welcomed us to his “bacaro”. A bacaro (from Bacchus or ‘bacarà’- a racket or party) is a small restaurant where you can drink wine (or now even spritz) and eat a small snack, strictly while standing.

L'ombra de vinYouth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

An "ombra de vin" is a tiny glass of wine drunk when it’s time for an aperitif, which for a Venetian can be any time. If you are lucky, you can even find them for one euro each.
It is said that in ancient times, wine was served in Piazza San Marco like sun hats are now sold. The sellers protected themselves from the sun and made sure that the wine remained cool by keeping it in the shadow of the bell tower, hence the name “ombra”.

I cicheti di tutti i tipi.Youth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

Here is another, more modern type of Venetian “cicheti”: they are mainly sandwiches, filled with everything you can imagine, for example, mixed boiled meats, mushrooms, shrimps, egg and strictly pink sauce.

Momenti di relax.Youth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

IllustrazioniYouth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

Image missing

Here we opted for a plate of raw seafood! There are also main courses: Venetian liver (beef with onion), small lagoon duck, moeche (soft-shell crabs) fried with eggs...

Il baccalà mantecatoYouth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

Here is a classic traditional dish from Veneto, more typical in the Vicenza area, but the stockfish is worth trying.
(stock = stick and visch = fish), or fish dried on a stick.
It is said to have been imported from the northern seas in around the 15th century by the merchant Pietro Querini.
Dried cod, or stockfish, should be rehydrated for 3 days in running water. It can be boiled or steamed, adding vegetable oil, salt and a little garlic. Those who like it creamier can add milk.

Ostriche frescheYouth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

Gamberi rossi di sicilia. Dove le tradizioni si mischiano., From the collection of: Youth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO
Show lessRead more
Le canocchie impiattate, pronte da mangiare., From the collection of: Youth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO
Show lessRead more

tonno e frutto della passione partiolcareYouth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

Tartare di Salmone e Maionese.Youth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

spaghetti al nero di seppia pronti da mangiareYouth Committee of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO

Black spaghetti with cuttlefish, bigoli in sauce (strictly to be eaten during the Feast of the Redeemer), served cold with onions and anchovies, rice and peas, and lagoon goby risotto. These are the main first courses.

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
Explore more
Related theme
The Grand Tour of Italy
Celebrate the past. Define the future.
View theme
Home
Discover
Play
Nearby
Favorites