Agnelotti with Spiny Lobster and Shrimp - - Agnolotti di Aragosta e Scampi

Prep Time: 1 hours, 30 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 pounds scampi (or more, see below)
• 1 spiny lobster, weighing close to 2 pounds (see below)
• 1 pound ripe plum tomatoes, blanched, peeled, seeded and blended
• A small onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 6-inch celery ribs, minced
• 1/3 cup minced parsley
• 1 large boiled potato (about a half pound)
• 3 whole eggs
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmigiano
• A 1/4 pound slice pork belly (the cut that becomes bacon, which is available in oriental markets)
• 3/4 cup white wine
• 1 cup cognac, divided into two portions
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• A bunch of chives, minced
• 3/4 pound fresh pasta sheets, or make your own from:
• 2 1/2 cups (300 g) flour
• 2 whole eggs and 2 yolks
• A pinch of salt
• A little white wine

Preparation:

Continuing with the introduction, be careful when you check seasoning, as the filling tends to be sweet (as does lobster). Also, you might want to add more shelled shrimp to the sauce (after you've removed what goes into the filling, increasing the volume of liquid to compensate for the added volume of the dish), or possibly substitute parsley for chives. As a rule Italians feel grated cheese clashes with fish sauces and therefore don't set it out at table when serving them (cheese in the dish is another matter). Should you wish a little something extra, dot the pasta with shavings of unsalted butter before you serve it.

Next, if it you are using live lobster, plunge it in boiling water, cover, simmer 5 minutes from when the water begins boiling again, and then drain it.

And now the instructions:
Cut the shrimp and the lobster in half lengthwise, wash the head areas well and remove the guts. Extract the meat from the shells and set it aside. Use shears to chop the heads, shells and spines into pieces, and set them in a large pot with the olive oil, pork belly, celery and minced onion. Sauté for a few minutes over a brisk flame, then stir in one of the portions of cognac and light it. When the flames go out stir in the white wine, season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir in the blended tomatoes. Continue cooking over a brisk flame for several more minutes, and then strain the sauce to remove the solids.

Return the strained sauce to the pot and add the shrimp and lobster meat. Stir in the remaining cognac, and the minced parsley and garlic. If the sauce looks too dry stir in a little hot water, and simmer everything over low heat for five minutes. Remove the shellfish with a slotted spoon, draining the pieces well, and mince them. Mash the boiled potato with a fork and add it to the minced shellfish, together with the three eggs and the Parmigiano.

Cover the filling and set about making the pasta. Once it is ready divide it into two pieces. Roll one out till it’s as thin as a dime, keeping it as square as possible. Dot it with teaspoons of the filling (about 3/4 of an inch apart), and roll the second sheet out to the same size as the first. Lay the second sheet over the first, tamp down around the blebs of filling to make sure the sheets stick together, and cut the agnelotti free with a serrated pasta wheel.

Boil the agnelotti in lightly salted for two to three minutes (they should still be al dente). Drain them, slide them into the sauce pot, and cook them until done (about a minute) over high heat, turning them gently. Transfer them to a warmed serving dish, dust them with a couple tablespoons of the minced chives, and serve.

The wine? I'd say a good Soave, for example Umberto Portinari's, or perhaps a Fiano, for example Mastroberardino's.

User Reviews