Saffron Tortelloni of Langoustine...Saffron Tortelloni of Langoustine with Citrus-Verbena Emulsion

Delicate hand-folded saffron pasta filled with sweet langoustine mousse, served in a vibrant, velvety citrus-verbena emulsion and finished with wild fennel pollen.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Make the Saffron Pasta Dough: Mound the 00 flour on a clean wooden work surface. Create a wide well in the center. Pour the egg yolks and the steeped saffron water into the well. Using a fork, gently whisk the liquid, gradually incorporating the flour from the inner walls. Once a shaggy dough forms, knead vigorously by hand for 10 minutes until smooth, silky, and elastic. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

2. 02

   Prepare the Langoustine Filling: Place the cleaned langoustine tails into a food processor. Pulse briefly until finely chopped but not pureed. Transfer to a chilled stainless steel bowl. Gently fold in the heavy cream, lemon zest, finely chopped chives, and sea salt. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag and refrigerate until needed.

3. 03

   Roll and Shape the Tortelloni: Divide the rested dough into two portions. Keep one wrapped. Roll the other portion through a pasta machine, graduating to the thinnest setting until the sheet is translucent. Cut into 3-inch (7.5 cm) squares. Pipe a teaspoon-sized dollop of the langoustine filling into the center of each square. Fold the dough diagonally to form a triangle, pressing out all air around the filling. Seal the edges, then wrap the two bottom corners of the triangle around your index finger, overlapping and pressing them together to form a classic tortelloni shape. Place on a tray dusted with semolina flour and repeat.

4. 04

   Craft the Citrus-Verbena Emulsion: In a small saucepan, sweat the minced shallots in a tiny pat of butter over medium-low heat until translucent. Pour in the white wine and reduce by half. Add the lobster stock and lemon verbena leaves, simmering gently for 5 minutes to infuse. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh chinois into a clean saucepan. Warm the strained liquid over low heat, add the lemon juice, and gradually whisk in the remaining cold, cubed butter one piece at a time until a glossy, velvety emulsion forms. Keep warm but do not boil.

5. 05

   Cook the Tortelloni: Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle, rolling boil. Drop the tortelloni in and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they rise to the surface and the pasta is perfectly al dente. Gently lift them out using a spider or slotted spoon, draining thoroughly.

6. 06

   Plate and Serve: Ladle a generous pool of the warm citrus-verbena emulsion into the center of four warm, shallow bowls. Artfully arrange 5 to 6 tortelloni in each bowl. Dust the dish lightly with the wild fennel pollen and garnish with delicate microgreens. Serve immediately.