Crab Ravioli with Lemon Butter

By Beleaev Family | Beleaev Caviar & Gourmet | beleaev.com

Crab ravioli is the pasta course that pairs delicate seafood with hand-rolled fresh pasta. White crab meat blended lightly with ricotta and lemon zest, sealed in egg pasta squares, finished with lemon butter and parsley.

Key Takeaways

• Use 80% white crab to 20% ricotta in the filling
• Lemon zest in filling, lemon juice in sauce
• 6 ravioli per portion as a starter
• Brown butter is optional, plain works for delicate crab
• Serve immediately

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The Ingredients

Serves 4

For pasta:

• 300g 00 flour
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp sea salt

For filling:

• 300g fresh white crab meat
• 80g full-fat ricotta, drained 1 hour
• 1 large egg yolk
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp finely chopped chives
• A pinch of cayenne
• Sea salt and white pepper

For sauce:

• 100g unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
• Sea salt and black pepper

The Method

Step 1: Make Pasta Dough

Mix flour and salt on board. Crack eggs into well in centre. Knead 8 minutes. Wrap and rest 30 minutes.

Step 2: Make Filling

Mix crab, drained ricotta, egg yolk, lemon zest, chives, cayenne, salt, white pepper. Don't overmix.

Step 3: Roll, Fill, Seal

Roll pasta to setting 6 on machine. Cut 8cm squares. Place 1 tsp filling in centre. Brush edges with water, top with another square, press out air, seal.

Step 4: Cook

Boil in salted water 3 minutes.

Step 5: Sauce

Melt butter in wide pan over medium heat. Cook 90 seconds until lightly golden. Take off heat. Add lemon juice and parsley.

Step 6: Plate

Lift ravioli into the butter pan. Toss gently. Plate 6 per person. Spoon sauce over. Crack pepper. Serve immediately.

Tips

Drain ricotta. Wet ricotta makes wet filling that splits ravioli.

Don't overfill. 1 tsp per ravioli is right. More splits during cooking.

Press out air. Air trapped in ravioli expands and bursts.

Lemon brightens. Both zest in filling and juice in sauce.

Variations and Pairings

With caviar topping: Add a small spoon (5g) of Royal Oscietra on each portion.

With brown butter: Brown the butter for nutty depth.

With chilli: Add 1 finely chopped fresh chilli to the filling.

Wine pairing: A premier cru Chablis or chilled champagne.

For more crab dishes, see our crab linguine and crab risotto recipes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use shop-bought pasta sheets?

Yes. Look for fresh egg pasta sheets.

How much crab in filling?

300g crab to 80g ricotta is the right ratio. More crab and the filling won't bind.

Make in advance?

Make ravioli up to 24 hours ahead, refrigerate uncooked dusted with semolina.

Cook frozen?

Yes. Cook from frozen, adding 30 seconds to cooking time.

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Further Reading

• How to make fresh ravioli (BBC Good Food)

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A plate of crab ravioli with lemon butter is one of those courses that defines proper home cooking at the upper end. Discover Beleaev's caviar collection at beleaev.com.

Beleaev is an international caviar and gourmet food company with fulfilment hubs across the UK, Europe, the UAE, and the United States. We are committed to sourcing responsibly farmed, sustainable products and delivering them to customers within 24 to 48 hours, ensuring exceptional freshness and quality.