Yield: 6 Servings

Ingredients:

Ravioli Filling:
• 10 ounces ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Pinch of pepper
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 14 ounces watercress, cleaned with baking soda and water, finely chopped
• Parmesan cheese, to taste
• 5-6 fresh mint leaves, chopped
  
  Ravioli Dough:
• 4 ounces Marsala wine
• 2 red or pink roses, petals only
• 14 ounces all-purpose flour
• Pinch of salt
• 1 egg
• 8 ounces water
  
  Sauce:
• 16-20 U-13/15 whole shrimp
• 6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium shallot, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, diced
• Pinch of crushed red pepper
• Fresh marjoram leaves, to taste
• Fresh rosemary leaves, to taste
• 6 vine tomatoes, quartered
• Salt and white pepper, to taste
• 8 basil leaves, chopped
• 2-3 Tablespoons brandy
  
  Garnish:
• Shrimp heads
• Osetra caviar
• Watercress

Method:
For Ravioli Filling:
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Place the filling in a pastry bag.

For Ravioli Dough:
Using an electric mixer, blend the wine and rose petals to a thin consistency. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until the dough no longer sticks the bowl. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes.

Remove the plastic; while working with half the dough at a time, make sure to wrap the other half in plastic until ready for use. Pull the dough through a pasta machine to 1/16-inch thickness. Cut the pasta into 3-inch squares. Use the pastry bag to place about a ½ Tablespoon of the ravioli filling in the center of each square. Fold each square into a triangle around the filling; the pasta should be soft enough to stick together at the edges, but if not, brush the dough with a touch of cold water. Close the triangles with your fingers, making sure there is no air trapped inside, and seal the edges tightly.

For Sauce:
Separate the shrimp tails from the heads. Set aside 6 heads for garnish. (The others will be used in the sauce.) Chop the tails into small pieces, and set aside.

Heat 3 Tablespoons of the olive oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. Sweat half the shallot, half the garlic, crushed red pepper, marjoram leaves, rosemary leaves, and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook for approximately 20 minutes. Use an immersion blender to mix the sauce, and then add the basil. Set aside.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a separate sauce pan over medium heat. Sweat the remaining shallot and garlic for 2 minutes. With a fork, smash the remaining shrimp heads (the ones not set aside to be used as garnish). Add the smashed heads and chopped shrimp tails to the pan, and cook for 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove the pan from heat, add the brandy, and allow the alcohol to evaporate. Pick out the shrimp heads.

Combine the tomato sauce with the shrimp sauce and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.

To Assemble and Serve:
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the raviolis for 3-4 minutes. Strain the raviolis and gently sauté them in the sauce for 2 minutes. Place approximately 8 raviolis onto each heated serving plate. Spoon additional sauce over each plate. Garnish each plate with a shrimp head, a dollop of caviar and a sprig of fresh watercress. Serve immediately.

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