These raviolis are simple to make but will take a little time to assemble. It’s worth the effort and this is the perfect opportunity to get the whole family involved in the fun of filling, folding and sealing these little packages of flavor. Remember, do not overfill the ravioli; this dish is as much about the pasta as it is about the filling.
This filled pasta shows how to balance flavors within a single dish: the sweetness and oceanic saltiness of the crab is balanced by the creaminess of the cheese and the butter and is rounded out by the slight heat of the coriander, the acidity of the lemon and the brightness of the tarragon.
For the Ravioli
- 1 pound fresh Dungeness crab meat
- 1 cup fresh ricotta cheese, drained
- ½ cup freshly grated dry Monterey Jack or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- juice and the grated zest of ½ lemon
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh tarragon, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander seed
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- white pepper, to taste
- egg pasta dough, rolled out to thin sheets
For the Sauce
- 4 tablespoons butter
- juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tablespoon tarragon, finely chopped
- kosher salt and ground white pepper, to taste
- additional freshly grated dry Monterey Jack cheese for serving
Cut the pasta sheets into 4-inch by 8-inch rectangles. Place one tablespoon of the crab mixture on half of each rectangle. Lightly wet the edges of the pasta around the filling with water. Fold over the pasta, like a book, to make a 4-inch by 4-inch square. Press the edges and around the filling of each ravioli to seal and to squeeze out any air bubbles.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
To Prepare the Sauce: In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the butter. Cook until the butter starts to turn light brown and begins to smell like toasted nuts. Remove the pan from the heat and add the lemon juice, tarragon, salt and pepper.
To Serve: Add the ravioli to the boiling water and cook until the pasta is tender, about 4 to 6 minutes. Drain the ravioli, reserving 1 to 2 tablespoons of the cooking water. Return the sauté pan with the butter sauce back on the heat. Add the cooked ravioli and reserved pasta cooking water to the pan and toss to coat the pasta with the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
Place four raviolis on each plate. Pour a little sauce over each of the raviolis and sprinkle cheese over the top.
Advance Preparation: The ravioli may be made, placed on a sheet pan between pieces of parchment paper and frozen. Once frozen, carefully place the raviolis in a sealed bag and store them in the freezer for up to a week. When ready to serve take them from the freezer and put them directly into the boiling water. Do not thaw them ahead of time or the ravioli will become soggy.
Substitutions and Options: You may substitute egg roll, wonton and gyoza (pot sticker) wrappers for the pasta dough. The texture of the final dish will be slightly more “chewy” but will still yield a delicious result.
Check out Crab Species - How to Choose What's For Dinner to find out how to substitute other crab species. Additionally, other cooked seafood or shellfish, such as cooked bay shrimp, cooked lobster meat, smoked or cured salmon or left over cooked fish from last night’s dinner, can be used in place of the crab.
Wine Notes: On warm spring and summer evenings I enjoy drinking wines made from the Spanish white grape Albariño because they are refreshing with a tangy citrus and slightly herbal flavor. The creamy texture of the wine will match the cheese in the filling and the butter in the sauce while balancing the lemon and herb.
Recommended: Bodegas del Palacio de Fefiñanes, Rias Baixas, Albariño, Spain or Abacela, Estate Grown Albariño, Umpqua Valley, Oregon.
Note: In 1999, Havens Wine cellars - which went out of business in 2009, made the first commercially offered Albariño in America (all of 15 cases) and then registered the variety with ATF in 2000.
Makes 8 appetizer servings, about 32, 4-inch square ravioli
Stuart Stein - Stuart Stein When it comes to regional, market-driven cooking, many chefs talk the talk, but few walk the walk quite as ardently as ...
