Lobster ravioli with lobster sauce

Lobster is one of life’s greatest luxuries and it deserves the silky beauty of hand-made pasta.

Preparation method

1. For the ravioli, place the flour and three of the eggs into a food processor and pulse until it forms small crumbs. Remove the mixture from the food processor and pull together to form a dough.

2. Knead the dough lightly for 2-3 minutes until it is smooth and elastic then wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for 20 minutes.

3. Flour the pasta machine and turn it to the lowest (thickest) setting. Feed the dough through the machine, turning the handle with one hand and holding the dough as it comes through the machine with the other.

4. Change the setting on the pasta machine to the next-thickest setting, flour it again and feed the pasta sheet through the machine again, as before. Repeat this process 3-4 more times, flouring the machine and changing the setting down each time – it helps to cut the pasta into smaller pieces as you work to prevent it drying out. Cover any pasta you are not working on with cling film. Set the pasta aside. Any extra dough can be frozen for use on another occasion.

5. Cut the lobster in half lengthways and remove all the meat – taking care to keep the claw meat intact. Cut the lobster meat into 1cm/½in thick slices.

6. Place the prawns and cream into a food processor and blend to a purée, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

7. Lay a sheet of pasta onto a lightly-floured work surface and place spoonfuls of the prawn mixture at intervals along the sheet, leaving a gap of about 6cm2½in between each pile. Top each pile with a piece of lobster and a basil leaf.

8. Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl or cup. Brush the pasta around the seafood with the beaten egg.

9. Top with a second sheet of pasta and press down lightly around the edges of the seafood. Stamp out the ravioli using a circular cutter about 5cm/2in diameter, lay them on a baking tray and cover with cling film until ready to cook. You should have 20 ravioli.

10. For the sauce, heat a frying pan until hot and add the butter and lobster shell and fry for 5-6 minutes. Add the chopped carrot, onion and thyme and cook gently for 3-4 minutes. Add the brandy, let it flambé then cook for a couple of minutes and add the stock. Bring to a boil and cook gently for a further 8-10 minutes.

11. Ladle the sauce in batches into a food processor and blend to a fine purée. Strain into a clean saucepan then add the baby carrots, and cook for two minutes until the carrots are just tender. Add the chopped tomatoes, samphire and lemon juice and heat through. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper then add the chervil and keep warm until ready to serve.

12. To cook the ravioli, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and gently lower the ravioli into the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes until they float to the top of the water then remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Toss with a little olive oil, salt, and freshly ground black pepper and keep warm.

13. To serve, place five ravioli on each plate then spoon the sauce and vegetables over.