Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Lobster Ravioli

I was watching Diners, Drive-ins and Dives and saw the most decadent recipe: lobster ravioli! I quickly googled "Rino's Place" for the recipe but only found Rino's Special veal cutlet recipe, so I quickly scribbled down the ingredients for future reference. (I could also have watched the episode on youtube here.)

I really love lobster but have never cooked with it. When there was a lobster sale on Father's Day, I quickly went and bought 3 small ones at $4.99 each. I was hanging out with my friend T, so she made the pasta dough while I prepared the filling. It was a lot of work to get the lobster meat out of the shells, especially for someone inexperienced like me. However, the work was well worth it!

Lobster Ravioli

Lobster Ravioli - Makes about 3 dozen ravioli's (about 4-5 servings)
Adapted from Rino's Place on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Watch the episode here.
You can make these ravioli's as small or large as you want. My friend T and I had 7 each and it was plenty. You could make less and serve 2-3 per person as a decadent starter! These would also be great with crab instead!

Lobster Ravioli
* olive oil
* 1-2 shallots, chopped
* 1-½ cups of cooked lobster meat, from 3-1lb. lobster (set aside ¼ cup or so of lobster meat for the sauce), or use canned lobster - chopped roughly
* parsley
* ½ lb. ricotta
* 3-4 Tbsp Parmesan
* salt, to taste
* pepper, to taste
* 6 pasta sheets - or make your own!

Cook shallots in olive oil on medium high heat.
Once the shallots have softened, add lobster meat and parsley.
Take
the pan off the heat and mix in the ricotta and Parmesan.
Taste filling and season with salt and pepper to taste.
On a pasta sheet laid out on the counter, add about a tablespoon or so of filling a couple of inches apart. (I was able to make about 12 ravioli's on one sheet but it depends on the size of your pasta sheet.)
Wet the pasta in between the filling creating the borders of the ravioli's so they seal properly.
Top off with another pasta sheet.
Around each mound of filling, press out on the wet area, making sure there are no air pockets in the filling.
Cut each ravioli out with a pizza roller.
Ensure the ravioli's are well sealed again (or they will open up in the water when cooking).
In a large pot of boiling water, cook the ravioli's for 7-8 minutes until they float up.
(If you are lucky enough to have extra, lay them individually on a baking sheet and freeze before cooking them. When they are frozen, place them in a sealed plastic bag.)

Lobster Shells Lobster Meat
Taking out fresh lobster meat was hard work but worth it!

Sauteeing lobster Lobster filling
Making lobster ravioli Making lobster ravioli
Top: Sautéeing the lobster; adding cheese.
Bottom: Making the ravioli's.

Lobster Sauce - for 4 servings
If you want to make this sauce even more lobster-ey, cook the shells in the sauce and strain out. I didn't do this and it was still very good!

* oil
* chopped shallots
* minced garlic
* a handful of sliced mushrooms (optional)
* ¼ cup lobster meat that was set aside
* ½ cup tomato sauce
* 1 cup cream (heated in the microwave - this helps preventing from curdling)
* salt, to taste
* pepper, to taste
* a few basil leaves, chopped

Cook shallots and garlic in oil.
Add mushroom slices and cook on high heat.
When the mushrooms have softened, add lobster meat, tomato sauce and heated cream.
Turn down the heat and let the sauc simmer until it has slightly thickened.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add
basil last.
Place the ravioli's in a deep plate.
Top with the sauce.
Tada!

Making the lobster sauce

My friend T and I were so happy with the outcome of this dish. It felt like quite a treat between the lobster in both the sauce and the filling, and the fresh pasta! This recipe is definitely worth saving for special occasions or when lobsters are in season!

Lobster Ravioli
I wish I had this in front of me right now!

Cutting in the lobster ravioli
Slicing into the lobster filling!

For other lobster recipes:
* Lobster and Corn Soup
* Salt and Pepper Lobster
* Stir Fried Lobster with Ginger and Green Onion

7 comments:

Sandy W said...

I'm amazed to find you posted this today -- I just saw the episode last night on my DVR and started hunting down the recipe. You just made my life easier! TY!

Gastronomer said...

Oh, Nina! This looks so friggin delicious! I can't think of anything better than fresh pasta paired with lobster. Mmmm!

Anonymous said...

This really looks great! Thanks for the idea...I think I will try it tonight!

Anonymous said...

Lovely! My pasta sheets were too thick & WOULD NOT stick! Sent my son in search of won-ton wrappers as a last ditch quick fix, but alas, NONE! Sooo...used cooked shells instead, topped with sauce & popped into the oven for 10 minutes. Yummers!

Faye said...

I want some of this yummy ravioli!

Unknown said...

No brandy in the sauce? LAME

Morley said...

You forgot the brandy. It's integral in this dish.