Crab Ravioli with Lemon Butter

Well, I finally got around to making the ravioli I was going to make for Valentines. The only difference is I didn’t use a heart shaped cutter to cut out the ravioli. I know I’ve mentioned in the past that if you don’t have time to make pasta you can use won ton wrappers. I’ve been wanting to try it myself just to make sure it really does work as good as pasta and it does! Hubby didn’t know until I told him then he said he can taste a difference, but whatever I think he was mad he couldn’t tell a difference after thinking I spent time making the pasta. I thought it worked really well. I used the pot stickers round wrappers. This is a really easy and quick solution for dinner if you don’t want to make the pasta. I will be doing this again when I’m short on time (I just won’t tell the hubby next time). I added a little more seasoning since we like it spicy, but the lemon is really nice in there which cuts the butter taste. I would suggest you use a round cutter to cut off the extra dough around the filling, but if you don’t mind it, it’s not going to hurt the dish.

Oh one last thing. The dish calls for a garnish of chervil (I used dried parsley so I wouldn’t have to go to the store). If you don’t know what that is, it’s a delicate annual herb related to parsley and has a faint taste of liquorice. Chervil is very popular in France, but don’t worry you can use regular parsley if you can’t find it.

Crab Ravioli with Lemon Butter
(Adapted from Martha Stewart)

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For the filling:
1 cup ricotta cheese (8 ounces)
1 cup lump crabmeat, such as peekytoe (8 ounces)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

For the ravioli:
All-purpose flour, for baking sheet
90 wonton wrappers (two 12-ounce packages)
1 large egg, lightly beaten, for egg wash
Coarse salt

For the sauce:
1 stick unsalted butter
2 teaspoons lemon peel, very finely chopped, plus 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Garnish: fresh chervil

Make the filling: Mix together ricotta, crabmeat, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and the red-pepper flakes.

Make the ravioli: Lightly flour a baking sheet. Working in batches, arrange 45 wonton wrappers on a work surface; keep remaining wrappers covered with a damp paper towel. Mound 1 teaspoon crab filling in the center of each. Brush edges of wrappers with egg wash, and top each with another wrapper. Press edges to seal. Cut out circles using a 2 1/4-inch cookie cutter; transfer to baking sheet. (I skipped cutting the ravioli out, which isn’t gonna hurt anything it just won’t look as pretty with the extra dough around the side.)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Working in 2 batches, cook ravioli until they rise to the top, 2 to 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the sauce: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Melt 4 tablespoons butter, and heat until just bubbling and frothy. Transfer first batch of ravioli to skillet using a slotted spoon, along with about 2 tablespoons cooking liquid. Add 1 teaspoon chopped lemon peel and 1 teaspoon juice, and swirl to combine. Transfer to plates.

Repeat with second batch of ravioli. Garnish with chervil.

Note: Uncooked ravioli can be frozen for up to 3 months (boiling time may be a few minutes more with longer freezing).