alaska king crab ravioli - 帝王蟹意大利餛飽

We just have the most unbelievably mild weekend here in Portland, Oregon. The day time temperature reaches around 60 F for both days, with fog covered nights. To enjoy the weather I went for walks many times a day to take it all in, and the best part, I didn't drive or ride in a car. No shopping, and no errant. 

With some left over meat from the Alaska king crab I made some ravioli. I tied to imagine what would go well with the delicate taste of the crab meat, and I though of using some Asian ingredients. Scallion and shiitake mushroom to add interest to the filling for the ravioli.

The filling consists of:

• king crab meat
• finely chopped scallion
• finely diced parsnip
• finely diced celery
• finely diced red onion
• finely diced shiitake mushroom
• finely diced garlic
• finely diced big head vegetable
• grated Parmesan cheese

I saute all the vegetable for the filling with some butter. The scallion is added in last as the root vegetable takes longer to reach the doneness and concentration I aimed. I let the sauted vegetable cool in a small bowl, then folded in the crab meat and grated cheese. The big head vegetable takes the place of salt so no salt is added.

shiitake mushroom sliced (before diced finely)

 the filling for the ravioli ready

Next step is to roll out the pasta sheets for the ravioli skin. I used 3/4 cup of semolina flour and 1/4 cup of unbleached flour and 1 small egg. I added enough water to reach the right consistency to work into a thin sheet. I incrementally roll the dough until it reach the thickness at #5 setting of the Macarto Atlas 150 paster maker.

Macarto Atlas 150 pasta maker

i am not fussy with the shape of the pasta sheet - this save a lot of time

 i spoon in 24 little piles

After spooning in 24 little piles of filling on one sheet, I brush the other sheet with egg. I brush the whole sheet to save time and labor. I then use the dough scrapper to slightly compress the parameters of the piles of fillings to drive out most of the air. Next is to cut the raviolis with the ravioli cutter (love this little tool). It is a joy to cut the raviolis with the Italian hand tool because you know the hardest part is over.

the pasta sheets are pressed together with the dough scrapper to drive out the air and to rough seal the ravioli sides; the hand cutter will further seal the edges later

 24 precious raviolis

Because you will always have waste of the pasta dough, I was not too fussy with the rectangle shape. I simply kneel the left over dough again and then form it into sheet with the pasta machine and use it to make a smaller batch of raviolis. My mental measure of the flour and the filling was impeccably accurate. I used up all the filling, and left with just a tiny piece of dough waste. This results in 30 raviolis giving about 4 servings.

just a tiny piece of waste dough left over

I blenched the raviolis in small batches to stabilize them, and keep them from sticking together in a bowl with a bit of olive oil. Next is to prepare the bits of ingredients for the sauce topping. Actually the just coats the raviolis at plating.

The sauce ingredients:

• finely sliced 2 small white mushroom
• finely sliced red onion
• finely sliced scallion
• finely sliced big head vegetable
• finely sliced Tennessee country ham
• heavy whipping cream
• grated Parmesan cheese

I thinly sliced up 2 common white mushrooms that are left over. I also sliced up some red onion, scallions, and big head vegetable, and garlic. I finely slice up a bit of aged Tennessee country ham as accent.

Preparing and plating the raviolis is easy. Saute the sauce ingredients lightly. I kept some scallion for presentation. Add the blenched raviolis into the pan and add enough king crab broth and pasta water to bring the ravioli skin to just al dente. I place a lid on with medium low heat to the pan. When the ravioli is just al dente it the liquid thickens and reduced. I then add the cream and cheese and it is ready for plating. I only used enough of the raviolis to make about 2 servings. I kept the rest of the raviolis for more meals later.

I don't want the raviolis to be swimming in sauce. I like just enough of a vary savory sauce to cling to the raviolis.

there is a small serving for breakfast

 this is a sensible serving for dinner

While eating it, I mused that something home cooked this delicious should be illegal, or at the very least require applying for a permit.

i am getting hungry writing this post because of the photos

I am getting quite proficient in making ravioli now. As my cross-ethnic cooking repertoire grows, the more I see similarities in food preparations between East and West, North and South. Ravioli is so similar to many kinds of Northern Chinese soup dumplings.