Yield: 6 Servings

Ingredients:

Pasta:
• ½ pound all purpose flour
• 8 egg yolks
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper
• ½ Tablespoon olive oil
• 6 chervil sprigs
  
  Spinach Pasta:
• ½ pound all purpose flour
• 6 egg yolks
• ¼ cup spinach puree
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper
• ½ Tablespoon olive oil
  
  Soft Shell Crabs:
• 4 soft shell crabs, cleaned
• 1 cup Wondra flour, seasoned
• 2 ounces clarified butter
  
  Garnish:
• ½ Tablespoon butter
• 1 pound fava beans, peeled and blanched
• 1/3 cup Applewood bacon lardons, rendered
• ¼ cup spring onions, cut on the bias
• 12 Cipolline onions, peeled, blanched and quartered
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon sage, julienne
• 3 ounces beurre blanc
• 2 ounces red wine fond du veau
• Salt & pepper

Method:
For Pasta:
Place flour in a standing mixer with a dough hook. Begin adding egg yolks one at a time, allowing flour to absorb egg yolks; add salt, pepper and olive oil. Continue adding yolks until dough comes together. Remove dough and wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 1 hour. Roll dough with a pasta machine down to the #1 setting. Roll chervil springs into egg dough by sandwiching herbs between two sheets of pasta dough, continue to roll until herb inlay has set. Cut dough into 4 ½“x 4 ½“ squares (large enough to cover soft shell when cooked). Be sure herb inlay is in the center of each sheet. Use a crimped cutter to give a fluted edge if desired.

For Spinach Pasta:
Place flour in a standing mixer with a dough hook. Begin adding egg yolks one at a time, allowing flour to absorb egg yolks; add spinach puree, salt, pepper and olive oil. Continue adding yolks until dough comes together. Remove dough and wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 1 hour. Roll dough with a pasta machine down to the #1 setting. Cut spinach sheets into 4” X 4” squares. Use a crimped cutter to give a fluted edge if desired.

To Cook Pasta:
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Boil pasta sheets till tender, approx 2 minutes. Remove and toss in a touch of olive oil to keep from sticking.

For Soft Shell Crabs:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Dredge crabs in seasoned Wondra flour. Heat clarified butter in a medium sized sauté pan. Cook soft shells top side down for 2 minutes, flip and cook for an additional 2 minutes and place into oven.

To Assemble:
Heat butter, fava beans, bacon, onions, garlic and sage and in a medium sauté pan and cook 3-5 minutes until warm. Remove crabs from the oven and drain on paper towel. Place green sheets of dough onto 4 warm plates, spoon fava bean mixture onto pasta, top with soft shell crab then place inlay pasta sheet on top of crab. Drizzle with beurre blanc and red wine fond du veau. Serve immediately.

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