Lobster Ravioli Saffron Cream
In my opinion you can’t beat handmade pasta and ravioli is one of my favourites esp when filled with something as nice as lobster.
This dish may seem daunting but believe me, it really isn’t difficult at all.
You can order fresh lobster from your fishmongers but there really is no need to put yourself to all that trouble and expense.
I used the frozen one from Lidl and it was perfectly fine. I wouldn’t use it for much else but as a pasta filling it is fine.
Handmade pasta is so simple to make, as easy if not easier than shortcrust pastry, so if you can make an apple tart, you can easily make this.
You don’t even need a pasta machine as a rolling pin will do, most Italian mothers who make pasta everyday would never dream of using a pasta machine.
This dish may seem daunting but believe me, it really isn’t difficult at all.
You can order fresh lobster from your fishmongers but there really is no need to put yourself to all that trouble and expense.
I used the frozen one from Lidl and it was perfectly fine. I wouldn’t use it for much else but as a pasta filling it is fine.
Handmade pasta is so simple to make, as easy if not easier than shortcrust pastry, so if you can make an apple tart, you can easily make this.
You don’t even need a pasta machine as a rolling pin will do, most Italian mothers who make pasta everyday would never dream of using a pasta machine.
Ingredients
Allergens : Contains Gluten & Lactose
THE PASTA
Strong Flour or 00 Flour – 600g & a little extra for dusting
Large Egg Yolks – 6
Pinch of Salt
THE FILLING
Lobster (frozen Lidl) – 1
Fresh Basil – Good Handful
Spring Onions – 3 & 2 for the filling
Roasted Red Peppers – 3 Large (Jar in Lidl)
Fresh Red Chilli – 1/2
Garlic Cloves – 1
THE SAFFRON SAUCE
Black Pepper From a mill – couple of twists
Cream – 300ml
Saffron Threads (Spice section in Lidl) – 5g or so (1 little tub from Lidl will do)
Fish Stock Cube, the jelly one – 1/2
THE LOBSTER BISQUE SAUCE (optional)
Onion – 1
Brandy – 35ml
Tomato Passata – 150ml
Lobster Shell – The one left over from the ravioli
Fish Stock or 1/2 Fish stock cube, the jelly one. – 100ml or 1/2 jelly cube & 100ml water
Water – 400ml
Black Pepper Corns – 4
Bay Leaf – 2
20g flour
20g butter or margarine
Instructions
1
Getting Ready…
You will need – 1 Pasta machine or heavy rolling pin, 1 bowl, 2 pots, 2 wooden spoons, 1 blender or food processor
You will need – 1 Pasta machine or heavy rolling pin, 1 bowl, 2 pots, 2 wooden spoons, 1 blender or food processor
2
Place the Lobster in a bowl (leave the packaging on) and place in the fridge to defrost overnight.
3
The Pasta
4
Clean a work surface really well and ensure it is really dry before starting.
5
Measure the flour and mix with the pinch of salt then pour onto the work surface then make a well in the centre.
6
Separate the eggs and keep the whites to make nice meringue or egg white omelette.
7
Place the egg yolks in the well with the flour and, using a fork, mix them together to form a coarse dough.
8
Knead this well for about 5 minutes until it is smooth and comes back a little when stretched, cover really well with cling film and place in the fridge for abut 1 hour.
9
Start the Filling and the Bisque Sauce if making it now then come back and do the next steps.
10
Remove the pasta dough from the fridge and cut into 6 pieces. Either put these through your pasta machine one at a time starting at the thickest setting and working your way to the second thinnest setting until you have a long sheet.
11
If you are using a rolling pin then cut into 6 pieces as above and roll really well until it is about 2 cm thick and fairly long, at least 4 inches wide is perfect.
12
Lay the pasta on a floured surface then place a teaspoon of the red pesto you made earlier about 2 inches apart and about 1 inch away from one of the sides. You want to fold one side over the filling so it needs to be longer.
13
Place small pieces of the lobster meat on top of the pesto.
14
Using your fingers or a pastry brush, brush around the filling so the sides are moist. Repeat these steps all along the sheet of pasta until you have no room left then fold the longer side over so it covers the filling and sticks to the other side.
15
Using the back of a knife, press down the sides around the filling to form squares.
16
You can either cut these out into squares with a knife or use a small glass to cut circles. You can also use a ravioli cutter if you have one.
17
Press down around the edges using a fork to form a nice crimp and make a seal so the filling doesn’t fall out when cooking.
18
Repeat this until you use all the pasta or all the filling.
19
Now it is time to make the saffron sauce.
20
The Filling
21
Place the roasted peppers, chilli, peeled garlic, basil and spring onion in the blender or food processor and blitz till it is like a pesto, set to one side.
22
Break the tail off the lobster then cut in half lengthwise starting underneath at the soft part and not the outer shell. Remove the meat and place the shell in a medium pot.
23
Using the back of a heavy knife, crack the shell around the legs and claws so you can remove the meat. You can use a cocktail stick or skewer to get at the hard to reach bits of flesh if need be. Place the pieces of shell in the pot and put the meat with the rest.
24
Now it is time to start the bisque if making it, if not then go to step 7 of the pasta.
25
THE LOBSTER BISQUE SAUCE
26
Cut the onion in half then add all the ingredients EXCEPT the tomato passata and the brandy to the pot with the shells, bring to the boil and keep on a rolling boil for half an hour then simmer for half an hour more.
27
Strain the liquid and set to one side then place the remaining shells etc into a food processor or blender and blend for about 2 minutes.
28
Return the liquid and shells to the pot then add the tomato passata and brandy. Simmer for 15 minutes then strain well again using a ladle or spoon to push as much of the ingredients as possible through.
29
Melt the butter in a small bowl in your microwave then add the flour to form a paste. Add half this to the strained sauce and whisk over a low heat until it starts to thicken. Add more if needed. You will be left with a thick sauce like gravy. Set to one side and go back to step 7 of the pasta.
30
THE SAFFRON SAUCE
31
Chop the Spring onion then heat 1 tbsp of good oil on a pan. Cook the onion on a medium heat for about 1 minute, then add the cream, saffron and stock cube with a twist of black pepper from the mill. Reduce to thicken, taste and set to one side if happy.
32
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
33
Place a pot of water on to boil and add a good pinch of salt until it tastes like seawater then add about 2 tbsp of good quality oil.
34
When boiling add the ravioli and boil for 3 minutes.
35
Using a slotted spoon (spoon with holes) remove the ravioli then immediately add them to the saffron sauce in the pan. Place on the heat and gently stir to coat the pasta in the sauce.
36
Portion onto plates and drizzle some of the Lobster Bisque sauce around then a sprinkling of fresh basil and serve.
Related Recipes
