Crab & Shrimp Ravioli in a Saffron Cream Sauce

This Crab & Shrimp Ravioli in a Saffron Cream Sauce is a delicious meal that will tantalize your palate.  The marriage between the homemade pasta with the tenderness of the crab and the slight crunch of the perfectly-cooked shrimp is the delicacy you would expect only in a 5-star restaurant costing nearly a hundred dollars. Top these beautiful little ravioli pillows with the creamy crab and saffron sauce and your family and friends will pat you on the back as being the Master Chef in your circle of family and friends.  Make extra and freeze them for a special occasion.  You’ll be glad you did!

Prep Time: 2 hours 30 minutes  Cooking Time: 3-5 minutes  Servings: 6  Yield: 30 ravioli

*Soak 1/4 teaspoon of Saffron in 1 Tablespoon of warm water for 2 hours in advance to making this recipe.

Pasta Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour.
• 4 large eggs.
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt.
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil.
• 2-3 Tablespoons water.
• 1/4 cup flour for dusting.

Directions:

• Using a standup mixer, combine all ingredients and blend using the dough hook attachment for 10 minutes until smooth and silky.
• Place mixture on a well-floured surface and knead for two minutes.
• Divide the dough into 3 sections and form into a ball.
• Wrap each ball of dough with plastic wrap and let stand for 30 minutes.

Filling Ingredients:

• 16 ozs. whole milk ricotta cheese.
• 1 cup premium lump crabmeat, picked for shells.
• 1/2 pound of 42-50 raw shrimp, shelled and deveined.
• 2 Tablespoons organic butter.
• 1/2 cup of parsley.
• 1 teaspoon thyme.
• 1 large egg.
• 3 cloves garlic, minced.
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated.
• 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Directions:

• In a medium-size frying pan, add butter and melt over medium-high heat.
• Reduce heat to medium and garlic and sauté for one minute.
• Add shrimp and cook until curled and pink.  Do not overcook.
• In a large bowl, combine all other ingredients and blend until smooth.
• Drain shrimp and set aside to cook.
• Add the butter and garlic from the pan to the ricotta mixture and blend.
• Cut shrimp into 1/4″ pieces and combine with ricotta mixture.
• Refrigerate the mixture until needed.

Saffron Cream Sauce Ingredients:

• 3 Tablespoons organic butter.
• 2 1/2 Tablespoon all-purpose flour.
• *1/4 teaspoon saffron, soaked in 1 Tablespoon of warm water for 2 hours.
• 3 shallots, finely chopped.
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock.
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup dry white wine, (I use Chardonnay).
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream.
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, (more or less to taste.)
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper, (more or less to taste.)
• 1/2 cup premium lump crab, picked for shells.
• 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese, freshly grated.

Directions:

• In a large pan over medium-high heat, add butter, garlic, and shallots, sauté 2-3 minutes.
• Add flour and combine to make a roux.
• Cook the roux for two minutes until slightly browning begins to occur.
• Add wine and reduce for two to three minutes.
• Add all remaining ingredients and combine.
• Cook three to five minutes until sauce has thickened and bubbly.
• Cover and set to simmer to keep sauce warm.

Combining all ingredients:

1. Remove filling from refrigerator and set up your work area.
2. Dust a liberal amount of flour over your work area.
3. Unwrap one dough ball dust with flour and press into a flat rectangular shape 3″ wide.
4. Using a pasta machine set on #1, run the dough through the machine. If using a rolling pin, roll out dough until its 1/16″ thick and got to step #9.
5. Place dough on the floured surface and dust both sides to avoid sticking.
6. Set pasta machine setting to #2 and repeat the process.
7. Repeat the process through #6 with the pasta machine.  You want the pasta sheets about 1/16″ thick.
8. Transfer the pasta sheet to the floured work area and dust lightly with flour.
9. Fold in half length-wise and cut.
10. Add one tablespoon of filling every three inches on one half of the dough sheet.
11. With a small brush or your finger, dampen the pasta sheet with a little water around each mound of filling to ensure good adhesion of the covering sheet of dough.
12. Add the remaining sheet of dough over the filling.
13. With your finger, form the dough around the filling and stamp out with a ravioli cutter, or two-inch cooking cutter.
14. In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water with 1/4 cup of olive oil to a boil.
15. Boil the ravioli for 2-4 minutes until they float to the top.
16. Plate the ravioli and serve with a liberal amount of the Saffron & Crab Cream Sauce, garnished with parmesan and fresh basil.
17. Bon Appétit!!!