Saffron capellini with lobster & wild fennel sauce

(Capellini di zafferano con aragosta)

Serves 6

1 x 800 g (1 lb 12 oz) rock lobster or crayfish (place in the freezer for 30 minutes first)

80 g (2¾ oz) butter

1 small leek, diced

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

40 g (1½ oz) salted baby capers, rinsed and drained

100 ml (3½ fl oz) dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Vermentino

800 ml (28 fl oz) crustacean broth, reduced to 200 ml (7 fl oz)

200 ml (7 fl oz) good-quality tomato passata (puréed tomatoes)

3 wild fennel sprigs, picked, plus extra, to serve (optional)

fine sea salt, to taste

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

600 g (1 lb 5 oz) saffron fresh egg pasta dough, cut into capellini

1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

Prepare the lobster by quickly boiling it for a short period, about 4 minutes. As soon as it is taken out of the boiling water, chill it down in an iced water slurry. This process partially cooks the lobster (around and just under the shell), enabling it to be peeled and used in a raw product form. Remove the head. Next remove the flesh from the shell by cutting along the underside with kitchen scissors and carefully removing the flesh from the shell. Next remove the intestinal tract by making a small incision along the back of the body and removing the tube. Slice the lobster into escalope pieces and set aside. The flesh inside the claws and legs will be fully cooked and can be removed and added to the escalope pieces.

Heat half of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat and add the leek, garlic and capers. Cook, stirring often, until the leek and garlic become translucent. Raise the heat to high, pour in the white wine and cook until the wine has evaporated. Add the reduced crustacean broth, tomato passata and wild fennel sprigs. Season with the sea salt and black pepper. Bring to the boil then lower the heat and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes. Set aside.

For the pasta, simply bring abundant salted water to the boil and add the pasta. While doing this, reheat the sauce, bringing it to a simmer and add the lobster escalopes and claw and leg flesh. Cook for approximately 2 minutes or until the lobster is just cooked. Add the parsley and melt the remaining butter through the sauce. Drain the pasta, return to the pot and add the lobster and sauce. Mix well and serve immediately. Garnish with extra picked wild fennel, if desired.