Black scallop ravioli with crustacean reduction sauce

(Ravioli neri ripieni di capesanti con salsetta di crostacei)

Serves 6 (makes approximately 60 ravioli)

This dish is another perennial classic at Pendolino. Every time we take it off the menu, we spend the next six months listening to the laments of our customers who desperately want it back. My response is usually the same: ‘Yes, it is a lovely dish, but we have to change something on the menu!’ It is a great dish. We use a scallop product that has international Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification. This means that the product is sustainably caught, which is a great thing for the world’s oceans. The MSC is an invaluable global organisation and we try to support them as much as we can.

100 ml (3½ fl oz) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

400 g (14 oz) scallop meat

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

100 ml (3½ fl oz) white wine

50 g (1¾ oz) English spinach, steamed, drained and chopped (make sure excess moisture has been squeezed out)

400 g (14 oz/1²/₃ cups) fresh ricotta cheese

fine sea salt, to taste

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

600 g (1 lb 5 oz) squid/cuttlefish ink fresh egg pasta dough

fine semolina, for dusting

500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) crustacean broth

100 ml (3½ fl oz) fish broth

2½ tablespoons good-quality tomato passata (puréed tomatoes)

1 tablespoon thick (double/heavy) cream

120 g (4¼ oz) salted butter, cold, chopped

baby flat-leaf (Italian) parsley leaves, to serve

For the filling, heat the extra virgin olive oil in frying pan over medium–high heat and add the scallops and garlic. When the scallops are just cooked, deglaze the pan with the white wine. Strain the mixture and cool. Add the spinach to the mixture and pulse in a food processor until roughly chopped. Stir through the ricotta cheese, season to taste with the sea salt and black pepper, and refrigerate.

To make the ravioli, roll the pasta dough into sheets of less than 1 mm (¹/₃₂ inch) thickness. Brush one sheet lightly with water and place ½ tablespoon measures of the mixture roughly 5 cm (2 inches) apart. Place another sheet on top, pressing around the mixture to remove air bubbles (this step is essential). With a round or jagged-edged cutter, cut out square ravioli (or whichever shape you desire), dust lightly with the semolina and place on trays lined with non-stick baking paper.

For the sauce, place the crustacean broth in a saucepan and reduce to 400 ml (14 fl oz). Add the fish broth and tomato passata, bring to the boil, then whisk in the cream. Take off the heat and whisk in the butter to slightly thicken the sauce.

Cook the ravioli in abundant salted boiling water until they rise to the surface. Serve with the crustacean sauce, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and the baby parsley leaves.