Lobster & ricotta ravioli recipe with lemon sauce & rocket oil

Oceania Cruises is rightly known as the world’s leading culinary and destination line, and the great news is that from late August, it will be resuming its cruise operations in Europe.

Leading the way in its six-fold fleet, will be its 1,250-guest ship MS Marina, which will be returning to sea from Copenhagen at the end of August on a Northern European tour before heading down to the Mediterranean. On her journey around the Med, guests can visit boutique ports such as Cinque Terre as well as the famed marquee cities of Florence and Rome.

On board MS Marina is the line’s ever-popular Italian fine-dining destination, Toscana. In Italian, Toscana means Tuscan and you’ll find many of the dishes on the menu here have been inspired by dishes from this region, passed down the generations by the mothers and grandmothers of the line’s Italian staff.

Inspired by these authentic recipes and updating them with modern cooking methods, the restaurant’s chefs use the finest Mediterranean ingredients including fresh pasta, olive oil, fish and vegetables.

Lucky guests will savour the chance to enjoy dishes such as Octopus Carpaccio with Champagne Vinaigrette, Artichoke and Parmesan Cheese Timbale with Black Truffle Sauce and moreish Osso Buco alla Milanese.

Oceania Cruises prides itself on its culinary excellence, and guests onboard its small luxury ships will enjoy an incredible standard of food from breakfast through to lunch and on to supper.

Each recipe at every restaurant onboard has been carefully developed and tested rigorously by the line’s leading chefs, ensuring five-star food that you’ll love, thoughtfully inspired by the incredible places you’ll be visiting.

In its continuing quest for culinary excellence, the company’s acclaimed OceaniaNEXT programme has seen inspired new recipe enhancements, showcasing new techniques and flavours in all its menus. The result? Guests will have the pleasure of savouring some of the very best dishes they will ever taste.

"Italy is one of my favourite destinations in the world," says Bernard Carter, Oceania Cruises’ Senior Vice President & Managing Director UK & Europe.

"It has a great history and culture and a love of family life. Italians always seem to have a great time, often over a very long lunch, with amazing food and wine. Whenever I visit Italy I am intoxicated by the country’s lifestyle and I love how they manage to create exquisite meals from the simplest of ingredients.

"I am excited to share with you a taste of what guests travelling onboard MS Marina this summer will enjoy,’ he adds.

"Opposite you will find one of Oceania Cruises’ most popular Italian recipes for you to try at home.

"If you would like to experience Italy on board MS Marina, check out our ‘Gladiators to Gondolas’ 10-day voyage from Venice to Rome in May 2022."

Lobster & Ricotta Ravioli Recipe with Lemon Sauce & Rocket Oil

Serves four

Ingredients

Pasta

• 2 pounds pasta dough – 1 cup semolina; 2 cups four; 5 medium eggs

• 3 tablespoons arugula oil

Rocket oil

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1 cup rocket

Filling

• 1/3 cup scallions, thinly sliced

• 3/4 cup ricotta cheese

• 17 oz lobster tail out of the shell, cut brunoise-style

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

• 1 egg yolk

• 2 slices white bread, crust removed, cut brunoise-style

• Salt and pepper, freshly ground

Sauce

• 3 tablespoons shallots, chopped

• 3 tablespoons butter

• 3/4 cup white wine

• 1 bay leaf

• 3/4 cup white chicken stock

• 3/4 cup cream

• Juice from half of a lemon

• Salt and pepper, freshly ground

Method

Rocket oil

1. Heat the oil to 185°F.

2. Add the rocket and cook for 15 minutes. 3 Blend, pass through a cheesecloth, cool down and reserve in the fridge until needed.

Pasta dough

1. Arrange the flour with a well in the centre. Add the eggs to the well and mix vigorously until the dough appears to be smooth and slightly shiny. Allow it to rest for a minimum of 2 hours and cover it to prevent it from drying.

Filling

1. Combine all ingredients. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Keep refrigerated.

Sauce

1. Sauté the shallots in 1 tablespoon butter until translucent, then deglaze with white wine and add the bay leaf.

2. Reduce by three-quarters, then add the chicken stock and cream. Reduce by half, then add the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.

Ravioli

1. Roll the pasta dough to about a 1-millimetre thickness and brush with water just to moisten.

2. Pipe the stuffing, cover with a second layer of dough and cut with a 6-cms cutter.

3. Remove the air bubbles. Place on a tray, dusted with semolina.

To serve

1. Cook the ravioli in salted water for 2 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon and place on an absorbent cloth to remove the excess water.