Ravioli
2 seven-ounce cans snails, drained and finely chopped
5.2-ounce Boursin-cheese log
1/2 pound lasagne sheets, available frozen
salt and pepper to taste
Put chopped snails in a mixing bowl with Boursin cheese and fold until smooth in texture. Season to taste. Set aside.
Let pasta thaw and come to room temperature. Lay 2 sheets on a flat surface and put 16 dollops of snail-cheese mixture (1 tablespoon each) on each sheet. (If you want smaller ravioli, use more dollops.) Lay 2 more pasta sheets carefully on top but do not seal. Using a pasta cutter or a chef’s knife, cut the desired number of ravioli. Remove the top of each one and moisten the edges of the bottom sheets, put tops back on, and seal thoroughly by pressing with tines of a fork.
Put 6 quarts of water in an 8-quart stock pot and bring to a boil. Drop ravioli in water and cook for 2 to 4 minutes, or until most have floated to the top. When done, remove to a plate or platter. To avoid sticking, do not lay one on top of the other.
Anchovy Cream Sauce
1/4 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 ounce anchovy paste or same amount of puréed canned anchovies
1 bunch curly parsley, destemmed and finely chopped
1 cup heavy or whipping cream
In a mixing bowl blend butter with anchovy paste and chopped parsley until smooth. Set aside.
Put cream in a large sauté pan, bring to a simmer, and reduce volume by half, shaking and swirling the pan; takes about 30 minutes. Add parsley mixture, stir until melted, and simmer until volume is reduced by a third.
Wilted Spinach
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound fresh spinach, rinsed, stemmed, and torn into pieces
1 cup shaved Parmesan cheese (for garnish)
In a saucepan heat olive oil over medium-high heat, add spinach, and sauté until wilted, about 30 seconds.
To serve, place spinach in center of plate with ravioli on top and spoon anchovy cream sauce over the ravioli. Garnish with shaved Parmesan. Makes 16 large ravioli.
