Crab, lemon and clotted cream ravioli with herb butter

For the fresh pasta:

• 00 pasta flour 300g
• Free-range eggs 3

For the crab ravioli filling:

• White crab meat 125g
• Brown crab meat 125g
• Rodda’s Cornish clotted cream 40g
• Salt and pepper to season
• Lemon 1 (½ juice, ½ zest)

For the herb butter:

• Butter 4 tbsp
• Fresh herbs a handful (we use fresh sage, parsley or thyme), chopped

1. For the fresh pasta: on a clean work surface, pile the flour into a mound. Make a well in the centre and crack in the eggs. Beat the egg mixture with the fork, slowly pulling the flour from the sides of the well until all the egg has been absorbed by the flour. As the mixture thickens, start using your hands and a scraper to continue incorporating the flour. If needed, drizzle a small amount of warm water and continue mixing until you have a ball of dough.
2. Clean the work surface of any excess flour or dough. Lightly flour the work surface, then knead the dough by pressing the heel of one hand into the dough ball, keeping your fingers high. Press down on the dough while pushing it firmly away from you. The dough should stretch and roll under your hand to create a shell-like shape. Turn the dough over, then press into the dough with your knuckles, one hand at a time. This process should be carried out around 10 times.
3. Bring the dough back into a ball and repeat the stretching and knuckling process, using more flour if needed to prevent any stickiness. Repeat the process for about 10-20 minutes until the dough is smooth and silky. Roll the dough into a smooth ball and cover with a wrap. Let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or for up to 1 day in the fridge.
4. For the crab ravioli filling: put the crab and clotted cream in a bowl and season with the salt and pepper. Squeeze in the lemon juice and grated zest, then roughly combine. Cover the mixture and refrigerate for 1 hour.
5. To assemble the crab ravioli: once the pasta has rested, lightly flour the work surface and, using your fingers, slightly flatten the pasta dough, shaping it into a rough circle. Set up your pasta machine, clamping it to a table, countertop or sturdy cutting board. Set the dial to its widest setting. Feed the flattened sheet of pasta through the machine at least 3 times before moving onto the next setting. From this point, continue to feed the dough through the machine (once per setting), making your way from the thickest setting to the thinnest. If needed, dust the sheet of dough with flour to prevent it from sticking to the machine.
6. If you don’t have a pasta machine, you can do this with a rolling pin. Begin rolling the dough as you would with a pastry crust, starting in the centre and rolling away from you to the outer edge. Turn the dough a few inches clockwise and repeat. Keep working your way around, scattering a small amount of flour on the dough whenever it starts to stick to the surface or the rolling pin. Continue until you can clearly see your hands through the pasta sheet.
7. Use a knife or a pasta cutter to cut the pasta sheet evenly in half, lengthways, and wet the edges of the pasta with a pastry brush or by hand. Using a teaspoon or piping bag, dot the filling in a line down the centre of one of the strips about 5cm apart. Place the other strip directly on top of the filling. Before sealing, gently press on the dough around the filling to eliminate any excess air. Very lightly moisten the dough with your hands and press it firmly closed.
8. Using a square ravioli cutter (a wine glass works well for circular ravioli), press firmly on the dough around the filling. Finish with a final dusting of flour to keep the ravioli from sticking together and allow to rest on a wooden board for about 30 minutes to help dry out and seal the dough further.
9. For the herb butter: in a frying pan over a low heat, melt the butter with the fresh herbs and a pinch of salt until the butter is golden brown.
10. To serve: bring a large pot of water to boil, adding a generous sprinkling of salt. Place the crab ravioli in the water and cook for 2-3 minutes.
11. Once the pasta is cooked, using a slotted spoon transfer the crab ravioli from the water to the frying pan with the herb butter, adding 1-2 tbsp of pasta water. Toss gently to coat the ravioli with the buttery sauce.