Luxury Lobster Ravioli Recipe
Indulge in an exquisite restaurant-quality dinner featuring golden saffron-infused pasta dough, a succulent brown butter lobster filling, and a velvety tomato cream sauce.
Equipment
- Pasta Roller
- Pasta Mold
- Large Skillet
- Large Pot
Ingredients
Fresh Pasta Dough:
- 1 lb all-purpose flour
- 4 whole eggs + 1 egg yolk
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1-2 tablespoon water
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Lobster Filling:
- 4 lobster tails
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 lb fresh pasta dough
Tomato Cream Sauce:
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 shallots, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
The Golden Dough, Mix and Knead
- Mound the flour on a clean surface and create an 8-inch wide well. Steep saffron threads in the oil and water, then pour the mixture into the well along with the eggs, yolk, and salt.
- Using a fork, whisk the central wet ingredients and gradually pull flour from the inner walls into the center until a thick paste forms.
- Bring the dough together with your hands. If it feels too dry, lightly wet your hands and continue working it until the dough loosens and becomes manageable.
- Knead the dough vigorously for 10-15 minutes until it feels smooth and velvety. Perform the windowpane test by stretching a small piece until it is translucent.
- Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and allow it to rest at room temperature for 1 hour to relax the gluten.
Bake the Lobster and Build the Filling
- Preheat your oven to 425°F. Split the lobster tails lengthwise, remove the cartilage covering the meat, brush with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and bake for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove the cooked lobster meat from the shells, chop it finely, and place it in a large mixing bowl.
- In a skillet over medium heat, brown the butter for about 3 minutes until nutty. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes for 30 seconds, then pour the hot butter over the lobster.
- Stir in the ricotta, parsley, lemon zest, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Chill the filling in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm it up for easier portioning.
Roll, Shape, and Assemble the Ravioli
- Flatten a portion of dough and run it through a pasta roller, folding and rolling multiple times on setting 1 before progressing through settings 2, 3, 4, and 5 until very thin.
- Dust a pasta mold heavily with flour. Lay one sheet of pasta over the mold and create wells for the filling.
- Place 1 tablespoon of lobster filling into each well. Dab the edges with water, lay a second sheet on top, and use a rolling pin to seal the ravioli.
- Release the ravioli from the mold and separate them with a pizza cutter. Place them on a parchment-lined tray covered with a damp towel.
Simmer the Sauce and Finish
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, sauté shallots in butter and oil for 5 minutes, then add garlic for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes and simmer on low for 15 minutes. Add heavy cream, Parmesan, parsley, and basil, and simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Boil the ravioli for 1-2 minutes until they float. Drain and gently toss with the tomato cream sauce before serving with extra herbs and cheese.
Notes
Dough Texture Secret: Use the windowpane test during kneading. Stretch a small piece of dough; if you can see light through it without it tearing, the gluten is perfectly developed for thin rolling.
Storage Tip: To freeze, place assembled ravioli on a parchment-lined tray until firm before transferring to a freezer bag. Cook directly from frozen in simmering water.
Reheating Instructions: Cream sauces are delicate. Reheat on low power while stirring constantly. If the sauce begins to separate, whisk in a tablespoon of hot pasta water to emulsify.
Nutrition information is estimated based on common ingredients and serving sizes and may vary.