If you’ve never tried culurgiones, these over-stuffed Sardinian dumplings in a lobster broth are a must. Sure, they take a little time and effort, but boy are they tasty! We add a pinch of Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) to the pasta dough to keep them from getting freezer burn. So you can turn this weekend project into a quick and easy week night dinner.
Pasta Dough
Ingredients
- 500g (3 ⅔ Cups) All Purpose Flour
- 2.5g (1 tsp) Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC)
- 1 Large Egg
- 225g (¾ Cups) Whole Milk
- 42g (3 Tbsp) Unsalted Butter
- 7.5g (1 ½ tsp) Kosher Salt
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
Timing
Active Time: 10 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour
Yield
1 ½ Pounds
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Combine Ingredients
Place the flour and CMC in a food processor. Pulse 2-3 times to incorporate.
In a small bowl, combine the egg and milk and whisk together.
On low speed, slowly pour the egg/milk mixture into the food processor with the flour until nicely combined.
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Add Butter and Rest Dough
Add the butter and salt and mix until the dough no longer sticks to the side of the food processor bowl, approximately 5 minutes.
Remove the dough, wrap tightly and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour to rest.
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Roll Dough
Roll the pasta dough into sheets through a pasta roller. The sheets should be around 1/16th of an inch thick.
Use a large 3 inch ring cutter to punch out disks of pasta dough.
Cover the disks of pasta with a damp cloth until needed.
Lobster Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 – 3 Lobsters, Culls and Shells
- IMPORTANT: Tamale and gills removed
- 113g (1 stick) Butter
- 75g (½ cup 1 tbsp) Flour
- 180g (6 oz) Tomato Paste
- 240g (1 cup) Cream Cherry (Calvados or brandy can be used as well)
- 1500g (1 ½ quart) Water
- Fennel Stalks from One Bulb
- 113g (4 oz) Tarragon
- 5g (1 tsp) Vanilla Extract
- 10g (2 tsp) Salt
- 1g (¼ tsp) White Pepper
- Any excess chive tops or ramp stems (see garnish section below)
Equipment
- Wide heavy bottom sauce pan
- Stick Lighter for Flambé (optional)
- 250 micron Superbag for straining
Timing
Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Yield
1 quart
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Prepare Lobsters
In a large wide saucepan place the lobster culls and shells along with the butter. Cook over medium high heat.
Sauté the shells until they are fragrant, about 2 minutes. Make a space in the center and add the flour and tomato paste. Mix this with the butter and then continue mixing with the shells.
Cook this mixture until you see the red roux begins to caramelize on the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to medium low.
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Deglaze and Flambé
Deglazed the pan with cream sherry and flambé if you have the means. If you can’t flambé continue cooking for 5 minutes or until the pan does not smell of alcohol.
Once the flames of the flambé have dissipated add in the water, fennel stalks, tarragon, and vanilla extract.
Bring this mixture to a simmer and set a 45 minute timer. Do not let this cook more than 45 minutes or the iodine will break down in the shells and ruin your sauce. Trust me!
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Reduce Sauce
Once the sauce has simmered for 45 minutes strain it through a fine sieve.
Place the lobster stock in a clean pan and add the cream. Reduce this sauce for 10 minutes or until it coats the back of a spoon.
Season with salt and white pepper to taste. Chill completely over an ice bath. Reserve until needed.
this sauce can be stored for up to 7 days
Lobster Filling
Ingredients
- 454g (1 lb) Fingerling Potatoes
- 300g (10 oz) Lobster Meat, Cooked
- 125g (½ cup) Lobster Sauce (recipe above)
- Chives 1 bunch Chopped
- 10g (2 tsp) Salt
- 12g (1 tbsp) Neutral Flavored Oil
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Cheese Grater or Food Mill
Timing
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield
about 1 quart of filling
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Prepare Potatoes
Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
Coat the fingerling potatoes in a small amount of neutral flavored oil and place them on a baking sheet. Roast for 25-35 minutes or until they are completely soft to the touch.
Cool the potatoes for 20 minutes.
Peel the potatoes while still warm and pass them through a cheese grater or food mill. Allow the potatoes to finish cooling before moving on.
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Combine Ingredients
Mix together the potatoes, lobster meat, lobster sauce, salt, and chives. Mix until just combined.
Chill until needed.
Fill Culurgiones
Ingredients
- 1 Large Egg for egg wash
Equipment
- Pastry Brush
Timing
Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield
20-25 Filled Culurgione
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Fill Pasta
To make the culurgiones will take some practice and I do suggest you watch a video to get the best understanding of how to make this pasta. But I will give my best description below
Hold the disk of pasta in your hand like a hard taco shell. Place a heaping spoonful of the lobster filling in the center. Pinch one end of the “taco shell” into a point and press inward towards the filling. This will make a three point trident shape. Pinch two of the points together for this example let’s say you pinch the center and left point together, push those points inward towards the filling. Then pinch the center point with the right point and push in. If done correctly you will continually make a new left and right point to keep pinching and pushing. Be mindful that there will be a good amount of filling that gets squished out the other end, this is a good thing. Continue pinching and punching until the pasta is sealed up. Pinch the end together and set on a lightly floured sheet pan with baking paper.
Continue doing this with all the pasta until you are finished.
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Freezer Ready
These pastas can be covered and frozen until needed. The CMC will help prevent severe freeze burn but you will most likely see some small ice crystals on the exterior of the dough. Do not worry the pasta will remain unchanged for up to a month.
Cook & Serve
Ingredients
- Culurgiones
- Lobster Sauce
- Crusty bread 300g (10 oz)
- 1 Fennel Bulb, Shaved (stalks reserved for sauce)
- 1 Bunch Tarragon Tips
- 12 Little Neck Clams
- 1 Bunch Chives, Finley Sliced
- 5 Ramp Greens (5 per serving)(spinach, chard, kale all work as well)
Equipment
- Heavy Bottom Sauté Pan
- Plating Tweezers
Timing
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield
1 Serving
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Boil Culurgiones
Boil a pot of water and salt it lightly.
Boil the Culurgiones for 10 minutes to cook.
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Prepare Clams
a small sauté pan add 8 oz of the lobster sauce. Bring this to a simmer over medium heat.
Add three little neck clams, and a small spoonful of pasta water and cover.
Steam the little necks in the sauce until they have opened. about 2-3 minutes
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Add Greens & Pasta
Add the ramp greens and reduce the sauce until it coats a spoon. about 1 minute on medium heat while stirring
Add the pasta and glaze with the sauce.
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Plate Dish
On a plate arrange the culurgiones, little necks, and ramp greens as evenly as possible.
Fill each clam with sliced chives, garnish with crusty bread, shaved fennel and tarragon tips.
Serve immediately.
Summary
Recipe Name
Freezer Fresh Lobster Stuffed Culurgiones
Author Name
Modernist Pantry
Published On
Preparation Time
Total Time
