Small shrimp cook right inside these very fresh-tasting ravioli. You don’t need fancy big shrimp for this: small and inexpensive “41/50s” (which means there are forty-one to fifty shrimp in a pound) are a good size, or even smaller rock shrimp. Make the simple flavored butter a bit ahead of time, and chill it in the freezer to facilitate handling.

　　

Ingredients

makes 2 cups of filling, for 20 to 24 ravioli

　　

For the Flavored Butter

3 tablespoons soft unsalted butter

　　1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

　　Freshly ground black pepper, a few grinds to taste

　　

For the Shrimp

10 ounces small raw shrimp, 41/50 size or smaller

　　5 ounces whole fresh tomato, peeled, seeded, and juiced (1/2 cup) (see tips on fresh tomato peeling and seeding, page 261)

　　3 tablespoons shredded fresh basil leaves

　　1/4 teaspoon salt

　　

For Finishing

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　

Preparing the Filling

Step 1

For the flavored butter, blend the soft butter, chopped parsley, and freshly ground black pepper well in a bowl. Scrape it onto a piece of plastic wrap, fold over the plastic, and shape the butter into a flat square about 1/3 inch thick, like a big butter pat. Chill in the freezer until very hard. Cut the square checkerboard-style into twenty-five little cubes, five rows of five; separate them and keep chilled.

　　

Step 2

To prepare the shrimp, remove the shells and devein them, rinse well, and dry. Cut the shrimp crosswise into pieces about 3/4 inch long (halves or thirds, depending on their size—you may not have to cut tiny shrimp at all). Chop or dice the tomato flesh into small chunks, no larger than 1/4 inch. Toss the shrimp, tomatoes, shredded basil, and salt together in bowl.

　　

Filling the Ravioli

Step 3

Following the master method, page 189, roll dough strips for filling. For each raviolo, drop in place a tablespoon of shrimp-tomato filling, including in each portion two or three shrimp pieces and some tomato bits; then set a cube of flavored butter on top. Cover and cut ravioli as detailed in the master method.

　　

Finishing the Ravioli

Step 4

Cook the ravioli, transfer them to a skillet, and dress with sauce (see master method on page 192). Remove pan from heat, and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil (1 tablespoon for a skillet with ten or twelve ravioli) and serve.

　　

Variation: Mozzarella, Tomato, and Basil Ravioli

Step 5

Cut 12 ounces of fresh mozzarella into 1/3-inch cubes-about 1 1/2 cups. Prepare 1/2 cup of fresh tomato, peeled and chopped-as you would for Shrimp and Tomato Ravioli above and toss with 3 tablespoons shredded fresh basil leaves and a pinch of salt. Mound each raviolo with 1 tablespoon of mozzarella pieces and a teaspoon of tomato-basil.

　　

Step 6

I recommend saucing this with Raw Summer Tomato Sauce, page 265.

　　

Good Sauces for This . . .

Step 7

Two-Minute Fresh Tomato and Basil Sauce (page 183) (to make it easy, prep the tomatoes and basil for the sauce and the shrimp stuffing at the same time).

　　

Step 8

Aglio e Olio (page 104) and marinara sauce (page 130).

　　From Lidia's Family table by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich Copyright (c) 2004 by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich Published by Knopf.Lidia Bastianich hosts the hugely popular PBS show, "Lidia's Italian-American kitchen" and owns restaurants in New York City, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh. Also the author of Lidia's Italian Table and Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen, she lives in Douglaston, New York. Jay Jacob's journalism has appeared in many national magazines.From the Trade Paperback edition.