Where water and land merge into one, the Po Delta reveals the full breadth of its culinary variety. Eel, freshly caught fish, mussels and vegetables from the fertile soils have shaped the region's cuisine for centuries. With the blue crab and golden-hued oysters, new specialities are now enriching this long-established gastronomic landscape.
To the east of the Province of Ferrara, the Po, Italy's longest river, flows into the Adriatic. River, sea and land merge into one another almost imperceptibly in this part of the world. The Po Delta has always been renowned for its high-quality fish and seafood. Their exceptional quality owes much to the delicate balance between fresh and salt water, as well as to the knowledge and experience of the local fishermen and producers. Alongside venus clams and mussels, another speciality has flourished in the nutrient-rich waters of the deltain recent years: the oyster.
The Golden Oyster from the Sacca di Goro
In the Sacca di Goro, a shallow brackish lagoon separated from the Adriatic by a long sandbank, the Golden Oyster is among the varieties cultivated here. This Pacific rock oyster is distinguished by its yellowish, shimmering shell. For the fishermen, oyster farming represents an additional source of income; connoisseurs prize the Golden Oyster as a new speciality whose flavour reflects the unique conditions of this ecologically precious habitat. It is best enjoyed well chilled and senza limone, that is, without lemon, as the proprietor of an elegant beach bar in Lido di Pomposa recommends. Served pure, its delicate, slightly sweet flavour with a mineral-saline note comes into its own most fully.
Lucrezia's Jewels on the Plate
In the lagoons of Comacchio, the Gioielli di Lucrezia, "Lucrezia's Jewels", are cultivated. This noble oyster is named after Lucrezia Borgia, the Renaissance noblewoman and daughter of Pope Alexander VI, who became Duchess of Ferrara in 1501 and is closely bound up with the history of the region. Its irregularly shaped, smooth shell shimmers in deep shades of violet and ivory. The pale flesh is enveloped in a mantle of chocolate-coloured nuances.
Its aroma is subtle, its flavour refined and sophisticated: notes of salted butter meet hints of dried fruit. A sensory surprise that is said to call to mind the seductive charm of its famous namesake.
A Newcomer Conquers the Menus
The Atlantic blue crab has been spreading through the delta as an uninvited guest for several years now. This highly adaptable crustacean originates from the American Atlantic coast and finds favourable conditions in the warm, shallow brackish waters. The blue crab has since found its way into the region's kitchens. Its firm, slightly sweet and protein-rich meat lends itself equally well to soups and sauces as to gratins. It pairs just as well with delta rice as with spaghetti or other pasta varieties.
Culinary Abundance with a Long History
For centuries, the brackish landscape criss-crossed by canals and embankments, with its shallow lagoon lakes and reed beds, formed the basis of life for fishermen and salt workers. In the Middle Ages, Comacchio, the delta's principal town, owed its prosperity above all to fishing and the salt trade. During the Renaissance, the d'Este Dukes of Ferrara began systematically reshaping the difficult-to-manage waterscape of the delta . They commissioned the construction of canals, dykes and drainage systems, thereby winning new land for arable farming and livestock rearing.
From the interplay of lagoon and farmland, the region's characteristic cuisine took shape, one that to this day draws on both worlds. Alongside rice, pumpkin, radicchio and asparagus all thrive exceptionally well on the fertile reclaimed soils of the delta. For a long time, eel fishing was an important branch of the economy in the lagoons. The factory that supplied all of Italy with tinned eel is now a thing of the past. Yet to this day, eel is grilled, marinated or prepared with rice into a hearty risotto in Comacchio . At the fishing harbour of Porto Garibaldi, meanwhile, the Adriatic catch is landed daily, providing ideal conditions for a grilled platter of grey mullet, gilt-head bream and sea bass. There is hardly a local fish restaurant where this speciality does not feature on the menu.
Recipe
Spaghetti with Blue Crab
A straightforward yet refined seafood dish that makes for a wonderful surprise for guests. Those who prefer a touch more heat may add a small fresh chilli to the base.
Ingredients
Amounts for 4 servings
| 320 g | Spaghetti |
|---|---|
| 1 kg | Blue crabs |
| 500 g | Tomato sauce or fresh cherry tomatoes |
| 1 | Clove of garlic |
| 1 | Shallot |
| 100 ml | Dry white wine |
| extra virgin olive oil | |
| salt | |
| pepper | |
| chopped parsley | |
| a little fresh chilli, to taste |
Instructions
Wash and scrub the crabs thoroughly. Cook in boiling water for approximately five minutes, until the shells turn red. Leave to cool, then remove the top shell. Take out the gills and discard them. Use a small spoon to extract the crab meat from the body. Open the claws with a nutcracker and remove the meat from these as well.
Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan. Finely chop the garlic and shallot and sweat them gently in the oil. Add a little fresh chilli to taste. Add the extracted and finely broken crab meat and cook together for approximately two minutes.
Deglaze with white wine, then add the tomato sauce or the halved cherry tomatoes. Leave to simmer for around 15 minutes and season with salt and pepper. Cook the spaghetti al dente in plenty of salted water, drain and add directly to the sauce. Toss everything together for approximately one minute, plate up and scatter with chopped parsley.
