Recipes › Seafood › Crab Ravioli Recipe

Crab Ravioli Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

Delicate pasta parcels filled with sweet Dungeness crab, ricotta, and fresh herbs create an elegant seafood dish that celebrates Italian coastal traditions. This homemade crab ravioli pairs beautifully with a light brown butter sauce or fresh tomato reduction, making it a restaurant-quality main course achievable in your own kitchen.

Ingredients

• 300g (2⅜ cups) all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs
• 5ml (1 teaspoon) salt
• 15ml (1 tablespoon) olive oil
• 250g (9 oz) fresh lump crab meat
• 200g (¾ cup) ricotta cheese
• 30g (⅓ cup) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 15ml (1 tablespoon) fresh lemon juice
• 15ml (1 tablespoon) finely chopped fresh parsley
• 5ml (1 teaspoon) finely chopped fresh tarragon
• 2.5ml (½ teaspoon) white pepper
• 2.5ml (½ teaspoon) sea salt
• 100g (3.5 oz) unsalted butter
• 4 fresh sage leaves
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• fleur de sel for finishing

Instructions

1. Make the pasta dough by mounding flour on a clean work surface and creating a well in the center. Crack eggs into the well, add 5ml salt and 15ml olive oil. Using a fork, beat the eggs gently and begin incorporating flour from the inner walls of the well until a shaggy dough forms.

2. Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until smooth, elastic, and slightly sticky. Add small amounts of flour only if excessively wet. The dough should feel silky and spring back when poked.

3. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to relax the gluten.

4. While dough rests, prepare the filling. In a bowl, combine crab meat, ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano, lemon juice, parsley, tarragon, white pepper, and sea salt. Mix gently with a fork to avoid breaking apart the crab pieces. Taste and adjust seasoning.

5. Divide rested dough into 4 portions. Working with one portion at a time, flatten it slightly and run through a pasta machine on the widest setting 2-3 times. Fold in half after each pass until smooth, then continue rolling without folding, reducing thickness setting by one notch each time, until you reach the second-thinnest setting.

6. Lay one pasta sheet on a lightly floured surface. Place 15ml (1 tablespoon) portions of filling in 4-5 horizontal rows, spacing them 5cm (2 inches) apart.

7. Brush the spaces between filling mounds with water using a small pastry brush. Place a second rolled-out pasta sheet on top and press firmly around each filling mound to seal, working from center outward to remove air pockets.

8. Using a 7cm (2¾ inch) round cutter or ravioli wheel, cut out individual ravioli squares or circles, ensuring each contains a mound of filling and has a sealed edge. Transfer to a lightly floured baking tray.

9. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Working in batches, gently place ravioli in water and cook for 3-4 minutes until they float and then continue cooking for 1 minute more. Remove with a slotted spoon to a warm serving dish.

10. While ravioli cook, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add sage leaves and red pepper flakes, swirling occasionally until butter turns golden and foams, approximately 4-5 minutes. Pour over cooked ravioli and finish with a pinch of fleur de sel and freshly cracked pepper.

Substitutions

• Use shrimp or lobster (200g) in place of crab meat for variation
• Substitute mascarpone cheese for ricotta for a richer filling
• Replace fresh tarragon with fresh dill or chervil
• Use whole wheat or semolina flour for the pasta dough

Tips

• Prepare the filling and shape ravioli up to 4 hours ahead, then refrigerate on a floured tray covered with plastic wrap. Cook from refrigerated state, adding 1-2 minutes to cooking time.
• To test if your ravioli are properly sealed, place one in a small cup of water before cooking the batch; if it doesn't leak, the rest are sealed correctly.
• Crab ravioli can be frozen on a tray for up to 2 months; cook from frozen without thawing, adding 2-3 minutes to cooking time.

Crab ravioli reflects the cooking traditions of Italy's Liguria and Emilia-Romagna regions, where fresh seafood from the Adriatic and Mediterranean meets the handmade pasta culture. This dish exemplifies the Italian principle of letting quality ingredients shine with minimal, complementary flavors.

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