Venice and the Venetian lagoon. Moleche fishing has been documented since the 14th century as a Venetian speciality. The shallow brackish lagoon waters support the shore crab populations that provide this hyper-local, ultra-seasonal delicacy.
Moleche fritte is one of the most fleeting and prized dishes of the Venetian table: small green shore crabs (Carcinus aestuarii) caught during their brief moulting season when they have shed their shells and are completely soft. In Venice, the live soft-shell crabs are soaked in beaten egg for 2-3 hours (the egg enters through their gills and flavours the flesh), then floured and fried whole in olive oil until golden and crunchy. Eaten whole — shell, legs, body — the entire crab becomes edible and crunchy in a single mouthful. The season is 2-3 weeks in spring and again in autumn.
Fried soft-shell crab has a completely unique texture — the entire creature is crunchy and edible, legs included. The egg-soaked interior is rich and slightly custardy. The flavour is sweet, oceanic, and deeply savoury. There is nothing like it outside of its very brief season.
The moulting of moleche is seasonal and unpredictable — the crabs shed their shells only during specific brief periods triggered by water temperature and lunar cycles. The soaking in egg is functional: the liquid egg infiltrates the soft body and enriches the flesh as it fries, creating a slightly custardy interior within the crunchy battered exterior. Flour the crabs lightly and fry at 175°C until the legs are crunchy and the body golden. Do not crowd the pan. Season with salt immediately after frying.
The egg soak is unique to the Venetian tradition. Use beaten whole eggs with a pinch of salt and a little chopped parsley if desired — the parsley colours the flesh a pale green. The window for buying moleche in Venice is very short and the price reflects their rarity. If visiting Venice in April or October, ask every fish vendor — when they're available, they're everywhere; when they're not, they're nowhere.
Using crabs that have begun to re-harden — they will not be fully edible. Not soaking in egg long enough — the interior will be watery. Frying at too low a temperature — the crabs absorb oil and become greasy. Overcooking — the body darkens and the flesh dries out. Serving with a heavy sauce — moleche should be eaten plain or with a simple lemon wedge.
Giorgio Locatelli, Made in Italy; Russell Norman, Polpo: A Venetian Cookbook