Ravioli of Fish

Serves 6

Ingredients

ravioli dough
One small snapper, about 600 grams
15 ml olive oil
1 garlic clove
2 stalks of parsley
salt and pepper
5 grams flour
15 ml oil

Method

Clean fish then cook in a pan on top of the stove with oil, garlic and parsley. Cook slowly for 15 minutes with the lid on. It is important that the fish stays moist.

Whilst the fish is cooking, get the dough ready. Turn the fish over after a few minutes.

Take the flesh off the snapper with your fingers, (the best way to get all fish flesh off bones) and take off its skin. Snapper is good to use because bones are easy to find and are not too fine.

Filter the water in which the fish was cooked in case there are any bones or scales. Take off any oil that comes to the surface. Keep juice aside to cook the julienne of vegetables for the sauce

Mash the fish with a fork and break it through your fingers. Don't put in a blender because it will become watery. Doing it with your fingers means that you will feel if any bones are left. Add some of the juice to moisten Add a bit more fresh parsley and some freshly ground white pepper

The filling that results is moist and holds together quite well but it should not be creamy. Even in ravioli Italians still like to feel the texture of the fish and the natural flavours behind.

NoteThese ravioli should be made as large round shapes rather than the smaller square ones for artichoke filling Artichoke Ravioli More room should be allowed between each ravioli

Press the ravioli together. Keep covered to stop drying out if you are not cooking straight away.

Boil the ravioli in salted water and serve in hot bowls with the vegetable sauce

Vegetable Sauce
(Stracciate di verdure - the little rags of the vegetable)

Ingredients

5 grams flour
15 ml oil
1/3 carrot, peeled and cut into julienne
small zucchini washed, cut in half , the inside scraped out and then julienned. (Do not peel, all the flavour of the zucchini is in the skin and it gives colour.)
1/2 stalk celery, washed and cut into julienne strips
1/2 top white part of leek, shredded
25 grams sweet potato and of pumpkin, peeled and cut into julienne strips
1/4 of green and red capsicum (better to use yellow if you can get it), cut into julienne strips
Note The vegetable julienne can be prepared in advance and kept in water with a little salt and ice to keep crisp)

Method

Fry a teaspoon of plain flour in a hot pan with very little oil, let cook a minute to amalgamate and then add some white wine, Use this to give a little thickness to the vegetable sauce. Don' t use butter or milk as this takes away from the flavour of the fish.

The small amount of thickening just finishes the sauce and gives it the right texture. Some cooks use arrowroot but the fried plain flour is better..

Toss the vegetables in a hot pan with very little oil to bring out their flavour The oil should not be burning but quite hot. Don't cook through, just warm the vegetable, they should remain firm, and not be allowed to soften. Then add the fish juices with the flour thickening.

When the ravioli is ready, put into hot bowls and pour over the sauce.