Tapes decussatus · Lake Ganzirri · Messina, Sicily
Rizza di Ganzirri
The only authentic native Mediterranean clam still hand-harvested with the same tools as the 1700s, in the same waters where it has always lived. Flash-frozen after cooking in its own lake water. Blockchain-traced.
100° native
Hand-harvested
Blockchain certified
Rapid blast-freeze
In its own filtered water
Limited harvest
Daily Fresh Kitchen
A dialect name for a near-vanished species
They have called it Rizza in Ganzirri since anyone can remember. Science knows it as Tapes decussatus: the true native Mediterranean clam, with separate siphons, thin white striated shell, and sweet orange flesh that no industrial farming has ever managed to replicate.
In the 1980s, intensive exploitation almost wiped it from Italian waters. It was replaced by Ruditapes philippinarum — the Pacific clam, imported and more resistant. Since then, what Italian restaurants sell as “vongole veraci” is almost always a different species.
In Ganzirri, the Rizza never left.
Rizza di Ganzirri
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- Tapes decussatus · native species
- Separate siphons
- Deep orange flesh · exceptionally sweet
- Hand-harvested
- Never introduced — it has always belonged here
SUPERMARKET CLAM
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- Ruditapes philippinarum · Indo-Pacific origin
- Fused siphons
- Pale flesh · milder flavour
- Mechanically harvested
- Introduced from the Indo-Pacific region in 1983
Everyday Freshness
The Rizza's flavour comes from the water, not the recipe
Lake Ganzirri is not a farm. It is a unique lagoonal ecosystem, declared an ethno-anthropological heritage site by the Sicilian Region, fed by phreatic springs and the Strait of Messina. Its brackish waters, rich in phytoplankton and diatoms, are the Rizza’s natural nourishment.
This is where the clam builds its sweet orange flesh. Every organoleptic characteristic is the direct result of this specific body of water. It cannot be replicated elsewhere. This is the most precise definition of terroir applied to the sea.
Daily Fresh Kitchen
From the lake to the tray. Without losing anything
Hand-harvesting in the lake
With calibrated rakes — the same ones used since the 1700s — the lake bed near the shore is combed. The Rizza hides 1–2 cm below the sand.
Sorting and growth in the breeding grounds
Each specimen is classified by size. The clams grow in the central breeding grounds feeding exclusively on natural phytoplankton.
Natural depuration in Lago Piccolo
24 hours of natural purification in Lago Piccolo. No chemical additives.
Decantation
Further decantation cycle before processing. Result: a clean, intact clam at peak purity.
Brief blanching
Brief immersion in boiling water. The shells open, the flesh reaches optimal cooking, flavours concentrate.
Tray-packing in own filtered water
Each Rizza is sealed in its tray with its own cooking water, filtered through multi-stage filters. Not tap water — it's the water of Lake Ganzirri. Terroir in the packaging.
Rapid blast-freezing and blockchain labelling
From +90°C to -18°C in minutes. Each tray is sealed, labelled with QR blockchain code and stored at -18°C until shipping.
Few calories. Real substance
65 kcal
9,8 g
1,2 g
3,9 g
219 mg (27% RDA)
Very high
High
Benefits
- Heart & brain: omega-3 EPA and DHA — cardiovascular protection and cognitive function
- Blood & neurology: among the richest foods in vitamin B12
- Bones & muscles: marine calcium with high bioavailability
- Complete proteins: all essential amino acids at just 65 kcal/100g.
Source: CREA — BDA Italy. Values per 100g edible portion.
Every Rizza has a verifiable story. Yours, you can read
With the blockchain protocol applied to every batch, for the first time in the history of this product traceability is not a promise — it is immutable data. Scan the QR code on the tray and discover: harvest date, farmer, lake zone, journey from net to shipping. No data can be modified after the fact.
Harvest Date
The exact day the Rizza came out of the lake
The farmer
Lillo or Salvatore — the name, the face, the story
Lake zone
The exact point of Lake Grande where it was harvested
Immutable Data
Our Seafood Haven
Do less. Taste more
Rizza di Ganzirri does not need to be masked. From the tray to the pan in minutes: pour the Rizza with all its lake water, heat over high flame, let it open and release all its flavour.
Sauté in pan
Pour the tray with its water, EVO oil, garlic, parsley. High heat. Two minutes. The lake water is already the sauce.
Spaghetti with Rizza
The traditional Messina recipe. The tray cooking water becomes the natural pasta dressing.
Lake risotto
Use the tray water as base stock. Lake Ganzirri's terroir goes directly into your risotto.
Our Seafood Haven
Frequently asked questions
Yes, profoundly. Supermarket clams are almost always Ruditapes philippinarum from the Indo-Pacific. Rizza is Tapes decussatus: orange flesh, very sweet taste — the two species are not interchangeable.
Frozen in its tray with its own filtered cooking water. Blast-frozen immediately after cooking. To thaw: refrigerator for 12 hours, never under running water.
Yes, but only at the MA.RU. store in Ganzirri. Fresh product is not shipped.
Each batch receives a unique code recorded on blockchain. The QR on the tray lets you verify: harvest date, farmer, lake zone, journey to shipping. No data can be modified.
The lake has limited carrying capacity, harvesting is manual and each batch requires years of care. This is not marketing — it is the biological reality of an authentic artisan product.
Daily Fresh Kitchen
Order Rizza di Ganzirri
Format: 500g tray · frozen · in its own filtered water Storage: -18°C · Rapid blast-freeze · QR blockchain
Thaw in refrigerator for 12 hours — the clams return just as they were, with their lake water. Do not thaw under running water. Do not refreeze.