Tramezzino al granchio is a Venetian Crab Sandwich made with layers of spicy crabmeat mixture, spinach, hard-boiled eggs, and tomatoes.
Get the taste of Italy with these triangular bread pockets stuffed with spicy crabmeat mixture season to perfection.
After the tiring trip from Rome to Mestre, our GPS had us drive in circles. "Turn right" the female voice kept saying but the street was blocked off with concrete posts.
"Turn right, now!" she seemed to get frustrated with us for not turning and then finally gave up: "you have arrived at your destination." As if.
Thank goodness our faithful BAM (Big A$$ Map, as we affectionately call it) showed us the way to our hotel.
The unfriendly receptionist and the first ten minutes of figuring out how the light switches work, which left us feeling dim-witted**, didn't ruin our excitement about visiting Venice.
We freshened up quickly, and within minutes we're sitting on a train to the islands. More importantly, I was going to meet my childhood friend whom I last saw some 35 years ago and who graciously offered to be our tour guide.
She and her Italian husband drove from Trieste to spend an afternoon with us. I have the best friends in the whole world! We had lots to see and lots to catch up on in one afternoon.
Tired and hungry we arrived at the restaurant they recommended as the best in town. I was ready to eat a whole cow. The display at the counter offered only tea sandwiches.
What? This is famous Venice food? Politely, we simulated enthusiasm and ordered an assortment of sandwiches. To this day, we still talk about those sandwiches.
Not because we were disappointed. On the contrary, they were the best doggone sandwiches we ever ate, particularly the ones stuffed with crab meat!
While many associate Venice with canals and gondolas, we also muse over tramezzino al granchio - the Venetian crab sandwich.
Lacking the special large, crust-less bread in the States, I did what I could to mimic the original. The recipe is translated from Italian, and the crab filling is spot on, even if the bread is not.
This is how they really look (photo borrowed from the internet).
**In most Italian hotels, light switches, and power in general only work when the room key is left in the door! How clever is that? You won't leave the lights on when you leave, and you won't lock yourself out.
🛒 Ingredients and Notes
- Lump crabmeat
- Carrots
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Mayonnaise
- Ketchup
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Paprika
- Prepared horseradish
- Worcestershire sauce
- Mustard
- Hot sauce
- Bread, soft white with crust removed
- Eggs
- Spinach
- Tomato
🔪 Instructions
- Drain the crabmeat and lightly squeeze with paper towels to remove excess moisture. In a medium bowl combine the first 14 ingredients.
- Assemble the sandwiches by spreading four slices of bread with the crab mixture. Cover with spinach leaves, tomato, and egg slices.
- Spread the other four slices of bread with a thin layer of mayo and place over the slices with crab mixture. Press bread edges to seal.
- Cover with clear wrap and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes. Cut the sandwiches into triangles and serve.
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Venetian Crab Sandwich – tramezzino al granchio
Ingredients
- 2 6 oz. cans Lump Crabmeat, drained
- ½ cup shredded Carrots
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
- ¼ cup Mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Ketchup
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Paprika
- ¼ teaspoon prepared Horseradish
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- ½ teaspoon Mustard
- 1 teaspoon Hot Sauce, add more if you like it spicy
- Pinch of Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
- 8 slices of soft white Bread, crust removed
- 2 hard-boiled Eggs, sliced
- 1 cup baby Spinach
- 1 large Tomato, sliced
Instructions
- Drain the crabmeat and lightly squeeze with paper towels to remove excess moisture. In a medium bowl combine the first 14 ingredients.
- Assemble the sandwiches by spreading four slices of bread with the crab mixture. Cover with spinach leaves, tomato, and egg slices.
- Spread the other four slices of bread with a thin layer of mayo and place over the slices with crab mixture. Press bread edges to seal.
- Cover with clear wrap and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes. Cut the sandwiches into triangles and serve.
Will Burgess says
Magic! We fly from Crete to Venice as often as we can. The Venetian sandwiches are the very best ever. Buy two, one won’t be enough - ever! Make our own? Well yes, under duress. But the real Mcoy is simply magic.
Jas says
They are the best! But you willfully make your own when you can't fly over to get them (I'm in the US). 😉
Miz Helen says
Thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with us at Full Plate Thursday and hope to see you again real soon!
Miz Helen
Jas says
Thank you, Miz Helen!
frugal hausfrau says
Those are some surprising and bold ingredients! I’m a sucker for anything horseradish! Thanks for sharing you story and your food at FF!!
Mollie
Jas says
Yes, they are Mollie, but that's what makes this dish so special. I'd add even more horseradish but my husband is not a fan. Silly man. LOL
April J Harris says
Venice is one of my favourite places in the whole world, Jas! No wonder you still talk about those sandwiches! Your version looks amazing. Scheduled to pin and share. Thank you so much for being a part of the Hearth and Soul Link Party. Have a lovely week!
Jas says
Thank you, dear April! I wish to go back in the near future. Europe has so much history and I'm always homesick. Have a wonderful week!
Teresa says
What an exciting trip! Crab happens to be a favorite of mine and these sound luscious! Thank you for sharing the recipe on Party in Your PJ's.
Jas says
It really was, wish I could go back soon. Thank you, Teresa!
Leslie Clingan says
Truly lovely photos, and your sandwich look equally amazing. Bought some imitation crab this week in hopes of finding a good seafood salad recipe. I think I just did.
Jas says
Thank you, much! I hope you like this recipe as much as we did. 🙂
Amy says
I love your little story. And oh my, these crab sandwiches sound divine. I can totally relate to the GPS. I hate it when it tells me that I have arrived at my destination, even though I know that I haven’t! But I have to admit that it still amazes me how wonderful it is to have a GPS at all. I grew up on a farm in Idaho and never needed a map since I knew where all of the places that I went were, thus I never learned how to read a map. I cannot tell you how many times I have been lost since I moved away from that little farm in Idaho. Anyway back to the sandwiches. I can’t wait to try them. Thank you for sharing at Snickerdoodle Create Bake Make link party!
Jas says
Thanks, Amy! I didn't need a map where I grew up but quickly learned how to use them when I moved to Germany. They helped me tremendously when I moved here too and I love them, although I prefer hands-free GPS, lol.
SarahsLifestyleDiary says
Major crab fan here:) and lobster hehe
http://www.mycitymylondon.me
Jas says
Then you would love these sandwiches. Preceded by this lobster bisque 😉 Thanks, Sarah!
Michelle Frank | Flipped-Out Food says
Thank goodness for BAMs, am I right?! I love misadventure-inspired food—these look as though they were a transcendental experience! I can't wait to try out your version: I'm going to make them for my sister on our next "girls' night IN". 🙂 #brillblogposts
Jas says
Yes, without our BAM we would've been lost as our GPS didn't work in every country we visited. 🙂 Thanks for stopping in, Michelle! I hope you and your sister will like this yummy recipe. XO
Shirley Wood says
Those sandwiches look scrumptious! Thanks for sharing with us at Merry Monday!
Jas says
Thanks so much, Shirley! 🙂
Marissa | Squirrels of a Feather says
OMG, Jas! I started laughing at your story (Big Ass Map hahaha!). These look super tasty, the ones from actual Venice look huge...I wouldn't mind eating the prosciutto either 😉 Yours look great, I am trying to get my little guys to eat more seafood so maybe they would try this as it's not intimidating. Thanks!
Jas says
Oh, we used and loved our BAM a lot 😀
They have special bread just for those sandwiches. The slices are huge, crustless, soft, and super pliable. Wish we had it here. Have a great week!