Crab Ravioli

Some time ago my friend Jude introduced me to the wonders of Costco. Since I'm not quite organised enough to have all the paperwork to join myself, Jude will occasionally do me a huge favour and take me around on her card. 2kg jars of marinated artichoke hearts for less than £5 are one of the highlights. Packets of prosciutto for 1/3 the price of Waitrose are also good. Duck confit cheaper than I can make it myself. And last time I bought a 450g tub of pasteurised, vacuum-packed crab meat for a piddling amount of money.

So I have had a tub of crab meat in the freezer and no idea whatsoever what to do with it. I thought crab and sweetcorn soup (which my husband adores), crab cakes, maybe omelettes. And then my husband announced that he thought crab ravioli with a sauce of peppers. And he was very definite that they were to be orange peppers, not red or yellow. I think the sauce looks a bit disgusting actually, but it tasted good and it allowed me to use saffron, which is my current obsession (or hadn't you noticed?).

Crab ravioli

200g white fish fillets
1 egg, separated
¼ cup double cream
white pepper
450g crabmeat
snipped chives
2 packets of wonton wrappers

Saffron pepper sauce

2 orange peppers
30g butter
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 pinch saffron strands
½ cup dry white wine
¼ cup double cream
Salt and white pepper

Blend the white fish and cream until smooth, then fold through the stiffly beaten eggwhite and chill. Add the crabmeat and season with white pepper, salt and snipped chives. Make into ravioli with the wonton wrappers (I folded them into triangles for ease), sealing with the eggyolk.

Roast the peppers until blackened, peel and deseed, saving the juices. Bring the wine to the boil in a small saucepan, add the chopped shallots and saffron and simmer until the wine has reduced by 2/3. Put the reduced wine, peppers and juices in a blender and puree until smooth. Put back in the saucepan, add the cream and bring to the boil again.

Gradually incorporate the chilled cubes of butter into the sauce, using a whisk and moving the saucepan on and off the heat to make certain it does not become too hot, which will cause the sauce to separate. Season to taste.

Boil the water for the pasta. Add the ravioli and simmer gently for about 4 minutes or until the pasta is cooked as you like it. Drain carefully to avoid damaging the ravioli. Serve with the sauce.

Makes about 60 ravioli. The sauce doesn't go that far.

Because we have dozens of ravioli left over (8-10 is a pretty good main course portion) we'll freeze them on a tray and then seal them in bags.