Crayfish ravioli with yuzu butter

By: Jim McDougall, Stefano de Pieri
From: Nuovo Mondo
Makes: 4
Photographer: Alan Benson

Yuzu is a Japanese citrus fruit, which has a unique flavour and is hard to substitute. It is available in Australia in bottles from good Japanese food stores. The flavour is similar to that of grapefruit, with the acidity of a lemon. Fresh yuzu is almost impossible to find. It is usually sold salted, which is fine for this recipe, but if it is not available, use the combined juice of one lemon, one grapefruit and one lime.

Ingredients

Quantity	Ingredient
100g	cultured unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
50ml	yuzu juice
1/2	raw crayfish tail, shell removed and flesh chopped into 2 cm pieces
	salt
1/2	lemon, juiced
1/4 quantity	Homemade pasta
1	free-range egg, lightly beaten
	semolina, for dusting
1 tbsp	capers, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup	Crayfish and kombu broth
or	Chicken stock
or	Fish stock
1 tbsp	mascarpone
1 tsp	wild fennel, dill or basil, chopped
1 tsp	flat-leaf parsley, chopped
	salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and yuzu until well combined. Line a baking tray with plastic wrap and spread the butter out in an even layer. Refrigerate until set.
Meanwhile, put the crayfish pieces in a bowl and season with salt and the lemon juice and toss to combine.
Roll out two sheets of the homemade pasta on the thinnest setting and place on a lightly floured work bench. Place the crayfish pieces onto one of the pasta sheets, evenly spaced in rows about 10 cm apart. Brush around each piece of crayfish with a little beaten egg. Lay the other pasta sheet on top and use your fingers to press down to seal the pasta sheet around the meat and remove any air bubbles. Use an 8–10 cm fluted round pastry cutter to cut out individual ravioli and arrange them on a baking tray dusted with semolina.
Cook the ravioli in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for 4–5 minutes or until al dente. Drain well.
Meanwhile, melt the yuzu butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the capers and the stock. Bring to the boil briefly and add the pasta. Add the mascarpone – this will help bring the sauce together. Remove from the heat. Toss the pasta in the pan to combine all the ingredients. Add the fennel and parsley and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately.