“Finding Nemo” – Fresh Hand-Made Pasta parcels filled with Prawn, Ricotta and Shallots with a Sage Beurre Blanc Sauce

Pasta

1. Take 500g of the flour mix in salt, nutmeg and white pepper
2. Create a mound of the flour on your mixing surface (marble or granite is ideal) and make a “well” in the centre
3. Whisk the eggs and place into the well in centre of flour mound. Bring the flour and eggs together by hand and need into dough until firm yet elastic (will take about 10 minutes to 20 minutes)
4. Set aside the dough and place in cool dry place with a damp towel over for about 1 hour
5. Set aside the largest and nicest 6 large green king prawns. Peel and devein the rest of the prawns
6. Select 14 of the prawns and cut them lengthwise in half. Take the balance of prawns and chop into small pieces approx ½ cm x ½ cm (or smaller – depending on how large you want the texture of prawns in the pasta parcels)
7. Combine the coarsely “minced” prawns, ricotta, shallots, parsley, pepper, sea salt and one beaten egg until totally mixed together
8. Roll out the pasta and cut into “blocks” and using a pasta machine, roll the pasta dough through machine in sections. Start at the highest setting (the thickest pasta) and roll through to the smallest setting – going through the machine at least 7 to 10 times per sheet. Lay out the sheets on a floured flat surface, ready to cut into rounds for the pasta parcels.
9. Once all the pasta is rolled out and ready to cut, take an egg cutter (or a glass – or whatever will give you the size of pasta parcel you want) and cut out the rounds of pasta for parcels.
10. Take a spoon of the filling and place in the centre of half of the cut out rounds.
11. Place one of the “half lengthwise cut” prawns on the top of the filling
12. Brush the beaten egg mixture around each filled pasta round just before the next stage of sealing with another pasta round
13. Take another pasta round and place on top of the “filled” round and press around the edges with a fork – ensure all the air is out of the pasta parcel (or it will burst in the water while cooking).
14. These can now be laid out on a tray with non stick baking paper between layers (do not let parcels touch each other or they will stick together). Use flour to dust. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
15. Cook by placing in slowly boiling water and simmering until cooked (about 5 minutes). You can test by tasting the “toughness” of the pasta to see if it has cooked through. The half prawn should be clearly visible as a prawn outline in pink against the thin pasta dough.

Sauce

1. Melt butter in non stick frypan, add the 6 set aside large green prawns (which have been peeled around the centre of prawn and vein removed – leave on head and tail for presentation).
2. Stir fry for 30 seconds and add garlic, salt, pepper and sage leaves. Cook until garlic slightly colours (do not burn – because you will need to start again) and sage leaves begin to colour.
3. Remove the prawns after they have been cooked through – they will be added to plates as a garnish on the top after pasta parcels have been sauced. Add cream slowly and agitate saucepan to emulsify the sauce as you add the cream. You may need to add more butter if the sauce turns a creamy white, as it should still have a “buttery” look.
4. Plate the pasta parcels with the “prawn” inside the parcel facing up. Pour over the sauce and add the large king prawns to garnish.