Fish Ravioli

April 1st is almost here and it marks April Fools' Day, a celebration of pranks and playful tricks... According to legend, this tradition dates back to the time of Cleopatra, who played a trick on Mark Antony with a fake fish. Not surprisingly, in Italy the holiday is called "Pesce d'aprile", "April Fish": the fish symbolizes both innocence and abundance, making it a fitting emblem for this playful occasion.

Since we're on the topic of fish, why not revisit a little-known dish that perfectly balances the freshness of the sea with the delicacy of handmade pasta?

Enter Lucchese-style fish ravioli, a traditional Tuscan recipe that brings together land and sea in a refined and delicious dish. While making them may seem like a challenge, with the right guidance, it becomes a truly rewarding experience.

Now, thanks to the recipe from our Cesarina Monica, from Lucca, let’s discover how to create these exquisite ravioli together.

Fish Ravioli

The perfect combination of sea flavors and homemade pasta

DifficultyMedium

Preparation time45m

Cooking time30m

Servings6

€

CostMedium

Ingredients

500 g of flour
3 eggs
1 sea bream
1 gurnard
Salt, water, garlic, chives, and pepper to taste

Method

Sift the flour into a bowl, add the whole eggs and a pinch of salt, then start mixing with a fork.
Transfer the mixture to a lightly floured work surface and continue kneading by hand. If needed, add small amounts of water gradually, working the dough until it becomes smooth and homogeneous but not sticky.
Shape the dough into a ball, cover it with a cotton kitchen towel, and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Clean and gut the fish, removing any external bones. In a large pan, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and sauté the garlic along with the cleaned and halved chives.
Place both fish in the pan and sear them over high heat for a few minutes, gently turning them a couple of times.
Deglaze with half a glass of good-quality white wine, cover, and let cook for about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the fish to cool.
Now comes the most delicate part: carefully remove the skin, all visible bones, the garlic, and the chives.
Set aside the cooking juices. Transfer the fish flesh to a bowl and finely shred it with your hands to detect and remove even the smallest bones. Add the reserved cooking juices and mix well.
Roll out the pasta into strips that match the size of your ravioli mold, dusting them with semolina or flour. Cut out squares of about two centimeters per side and fill each with a small amount of fish filling.
Lightly moisten the edges with water, fold the squares over to form triangles, and press the edges gently to seal. Then, bring two opposite tips of the triangle together to form a ring. Repeat until all the filling is used.
Let the ravioli rest, then cook them in boiling salted water for a couple of minutes. Serve them with a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of pepper, or with a sauce made from cherry tomatoes and tomato purée, finishing with a dusting of pistachio directly on the plate.

Monica

Fish Ravioli

Fish Ravioli

Ingredients

Method

Crazy for Ravioli