posted by luvcookin 07-07-98 5:19 PM
Filling:
3/4 cooked fresh or canned crabmeat
3 scallions
1/3 cup ricotta cheese, about 3 oz
salt and white pepper
Dough:
2 1/2 cup flour, more if needed
3 eggs
1 tbls. vegetable oil
1 tsp. salt
Saffron Butter Sauce:
saffron threads
3-4 tbsp boiling water
1 cup cold unsalted butter
2 shallots
3 tbsp dry white wine
1 tbsp heavy cream
Filling:
Drain the crabmeat if necessary. Using your fingers, coarsely shred the crabmeat, discarding and membrane, and put it in a bowl.
Trim the ends of the scallions. With the chefs, knife, finely chop the white and green parts.
Add half of the scallios and the ricotta to the crabmeat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir to mix. Reserve the remaing scallions for sprinkliing at the end.
Pasta Dough:
Sift the four onto the work surface in a mound. Make well in center, add eggs to well followed by oil and salt.
Mix the eggs, oil, and salt together well with your fingers. Gradully mix in the flour from the sides to make a firm dough.
If the dough is sticky, add more flour. If the dough is dry, add 1-2 tsp. water. Press dough together in a ball. Knead the dough until the dough is elastic and peels from the work surface in one piece, 5-10 minutes.
Roll back into a ball and cover and let stand at room temperature 1 hour.
Knead and roll out one-quarter of the dough using a pasta machine ending with the rollers at the narrowest setting.
May also use rolling pin make sure to roll out paper thin. Alternatively, knead and roll out one quater of the dough by
hand, rolling it out in a strip about the thickness of a postcard.
Using a ruler as a guide, trim the strip of dough to a width of about 5 inches, discarding the end pieces and rough edges. Cut the strip across in half. Brush one rectangle of dough very lightly with water.
Using the teaspoon arrrange small mounds of the crab filling on the moistened dough, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Leave a 1/2-inch border.
Lay the other rectantle of dough evenly over the filling. With your fingers, press down between the mounds of filling to seal the dough, gently pushing out any pockets of air.
Using a fluted pasta wheel or a chef's knife, trim the edges of the rectangle and cut between the mounds to make even 1 1/2-inch squares.
Roll out, fill, and cut the remaining dough, using about one-quater of the dough each time. They can also be cut into giant 4-inch squares.
Spread out the ravioli on floured dish towel and sprinkle them with a little flour or fine cornmeal. Let dry 1-2 hours.
Saffron Butter Sauce:
Put a large pinch of saffron threads in a small bowl, add the boiling water, and stir well to mix.
Let soak 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the butter into small pieces and chill in the refrigerator. Finely chop the shallots.
Put the wine in a medium saucepan, add the soaked saffron with its liquid and the chopped shallots and stir to combine.
Boil the mixture 2-3 minutes to a syrupy glaze; add cream and boil again to a glaze.
Take the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the butter, a little at a time, whisking constantly and moving the pan on and off the heat.
The butter should thicken the sauce creamily without melting to oil. Take care not to let the sauce get too hot or it will separate. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.
Fill the large pot with water, bring to a boil, and add 1 tbsp salt. Add the ravioli and simmer until tender but still chewy, 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally with wooden spoon to keep from sticking.
Drain the ravioli and rinse gently with hot water to wash away the starch and drain again thoroughly.
Serve:
Put the raviloi on warmed plates, slightly overlapping the pasta.
Spoon the saffron butter sauce over the ravioli, sprinkle with the reserved scallions, and serve immediately.