Ravioli with scallops in fennel sauce

Yesterday M. asked me to make some ravioli filled with scallops : not so easy really.Scallops are very delicate in savour & you must py attention not to overcook them also .I slept over it and this morning when I woke up I had the recipe in my mind :scallops are just tender and juicy , the dough as a neutral taste , not to overwhelm the filling and the fennel sauce so light . I think it makes a wonderful entrée for a refined dinner ( in this case 2 or 3 ravioli each would be enough )

Ingredients for 16 ravioli

The dough :

140 gr of white flour

60 gr of rice flour


Water


The scallops


16 scallops ( very fresh ! )


10 gr of butter

1 spoon of extra-virgin-olive oil


1 spoon of pastis


2 leaves of algue ( dulse )


The sauce


1 big fennel

1 spoon of extra-virgin-olive oil


1 csp of  fleur de sel


Pinch of safran


Pinch of  ground Piment d’Espelette ( pay attention if you find a very strong one)


Pinch of wild fennel seeds

Put in a bowl the flours, add water while mixing with a fork till you have a soft dough ( quantity of water depends on so many different things as weather , flour humidity etc…)

Knead the dough for 3mn or until it feels velvety , then place it under the bowl and set aside for one hour.

In the meantime  cut the leaves of seaweed into pieces , put a pan with the butter& oil onto the fire and when it gets  warm  put in the scallops and the seaweeds , turn them in order to get them roasted ( it will take you 3 minutes max , don’t overcook) When scallops get a pretty brown color add the spoon of pastis ( flambé ) and put in a dish to refresh as soon .

Pour 1 liter of water with a csp of fleur de sel to boil , cut the fennel in thin slices , throw it into the boiling water , add the fennel seeds and let cook until soft , then drain while keeping a small quantity of their broth. Mix the fennel with the olive oil , the spices and a little amount of broth till you have a quite velvety , creamy sauce ( add some broth if necessary )

Now it’s time to make ravioli ! Roll-out half of the dough on a large wooden board ( or a silicone sheet ) as thin as you can , not too much anyway , like in the photo, then for each ravioli you have to cut two circles : one of 10 cm and a smaller one of 8 cm with a ring . Put a scallop on the smaller one with a piece of seawwed and cover with the bigger , pinch the edges to seal tight and place on a floured baking-sheet.

Bring the water to a boil in a large sauce pan ( like for cooking pasta ) add the salt ( 1 csp x liter ) add the ravioli gently , one each , and let cook 2/3 minutes until they float , then remove with a slotted spoon and drain.

Put a large spoon of warm sauce on every dish and make a circle , then put four ravioli onto each dish and serve immediately