I Cooked Against Every YouTube Chef

Ingredients

• 200 g King Crab Legs (steamed, meat removed, finely chopped for filling; extra pieces for garnish)
• 2 tbsp Chives (fresh, roughly chopped)
• 2 tbsp Parsley (flat‑leaf, fresh, roughly chopped)
• 2 tbsp Dill (fresh, most used for herb oil; reserve a small pinch for garnish)
• 120 ml Olive Oil (extra‑virgin, divided between herb oil and cooking)
• 150 g All-Purpose Flour (for pasta dough; sifted)
• 12 large Egg Yolks (11 for dough, 1 reserved for the raviolo center; room temperature)
• 100 g Ricotta Cheese (full‑fat, drained)
• 1 tsp Lemon Zest (fresh zest, no white pith)
• 0.5 tsp Seafood Seasoning (optional, adds briny depth)
• 0.5 tsp Salt (fine sea salt)
• 0.25 tsp MSG (optional, for umami boost in filling)
• 1 small Shallot (finely minced)
• 60 ml White Wine (dry, such as Sauvignon Blanc)
• 15 ml White Wine Vinegar (for beurre blanc reduction)
• 60 ml Heavy Cream (cold)
• 100 g Unsalted Butter (cut into cubes, room temperature)
• 1 tsp Trout Roe (for garnish (optional))
• 1 tsp Fresh Dill (chopped, for final garnish)

Instructions

1. Steam King Crab Legs

   Fill a large pot with water, bring to a gentle boil, place the steamer basket inside, add the king crab legs and cover. Steam for 5 minutes until the meat is just heated through.

   Time: PT5M

2. Shock in Ice Bath

   Immediately transfer the steamed crab legs to a bowl of ice water for 2 minutes to stop cooking and firm the meat.

   Time: PT2M

3. Extract and Chop Crab Meat

   Using kitchen scissors, cut the shells off the legs, pull out the meat, and finely chop the meat into a coarse paste. Reserve three larger pieces for garnish later.

   Time: PT5M

4. Make Green Herb Oil

   Place chives, parsley, most of the dill, and 100 ml olive oil into the blender. Blend on high for 2 minutes until smooth.

   Time: PT2M

5. Strain Herb Oil

   Set a cheesecloth over a bowl, pour the blended herb mixture through, and gently press to extract the oil. Discard the solids.

   Time: PT1M

6. Prepare Pasta Dough

   On a clean cutting board, mound the flour and create a well. Separate 11 egg yolks into the well, whisk lightly, then gradually incorporate flour from the edges until a shaggy dough forms.

   Time: PT5M

7. Knead Dough

   Using hands (or a bench scraper), knead the dough for 7 minutes until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. If too dry, add a few drops of water; if too wet, sprinkle a little flour.

   Time: PT7M

8. Rest Dough

   Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.

   Time: PT15M

9. Prepare Filling

   In a mixing bowl combine ricotta, the finely chopped crab meat, 1 tbsp fresh dill, lemon zest, seafood seasoning, salt, and optional MSG. Mix until homogeneous.

   Time: PT5M

10. Roll Out Pasta

    Divide the rested dough into two portions. Flatten each with a rolling pin, then run through the pasta machine on the widest setting. Fold and repeat, gradually moving to thinner settings until setting #8 (the thinnest) is reached, producing a near‑transparent sheet.

    Time: PT10M

11. Cut and Prepare Sheets

    Lightly flour each pasta sheet, then cut it in half. Keep one half for the base and the other for the top. Set aside.

    Time: PT2M

12. Assemble the Raviolo

    Using a piping bag, pipe a circular nest of filling onto the base sheet (about 5 cm diameter). Gently place the reserved egg yolk in the center, then pipe a thin ring of filling around the yolk. Lightly brush the edges with water, place the top sheet over, press to seal, and trim excess. Cut a perfect square around the sealed raviolo with a pasta cutter.

    Time: PT8M

13. Make Beurre Blanc

    Heat a saucepan over medium heat, add a splash of olive oil, then sauté the minced shallot until translucent (≈1 min). Add white wine and white wine vinegar, reduce by half. Stir in heavy cream, simmer 1‑2 min until slightly thickened. Reduce heat to low, whisk in cold butter cubes one at a time until the sauce coats the back of a wooden spoon.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: Medium

14. Cook Raviolo

    Bring a shallow pan of salted water to a gentle boil. Lower the raviolo into the water and cook for 2 minutes, just enough to warm the pasta and set the yolk without solidifying it.

    Time: PT2M

    Temperature: Boiling

15. Plate the Dish

    On a warm plate, arrange three thin slices of crab carpaccio in a fan. Drizzle a thin line of herb oil around the plate, add a spoonful of beurre blanc, then place the cooked raviolo in the center. Garnish with trout roe, a pinch of fresh dill, and a light sprinkle of lemon zest.

    Time: PT5M

16. Cleanup

    Wash all used bowls, utensils, and equipment; wipe down the workstation.

    Time: PT15M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

620

Protein

30 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

30 g

Fiber

2 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of King Crab Legs: Snow crab legs, Lobster meat
• Instead of Chives: Green onion tops
• Instead of Parsley: Cilantro
• Instead of Dill: Tarragon
• Instead of Olive Oil: Grapeseed oil
• Instead of All-Purpose Flour: Tipo 00 flour
• Instead of Egg Yolks: Pasteurized egg yolks
• Instead of Ricotta Cheese: Mascarpone, Cottage cheese (drained)
• Instead of Lemon Zest: Lemon juice (reduce amount)
• Instead of Seafood Seasoning: Old Bay seasoning
• Instead of Salt: Kosher salt (adjust amount)
• Instead of MSG: Soy sauce (small amount)
• Instead of Shallot: Red onion (finely diced)
• Instead of White Wine: Chicken stock (adjust acidity)
• Instead of White Wine Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar (less)
• Instead of Heavy Cream: Half‑and‑half
• Instead of Unsalted Butter: Clarified butter
• Instead of Trout Roe: Salmon roe
• Instead of Fresh Dill: Chives

Equipment Needed

• Large Pot
• Steamer Basket
• Ice Bath Bowl
• Kitchen Scissors
• Tongs
• Blender
• Cheesecloth
• Mini Strainer (optional)
• Squeeze Bottle (optional)
• Mixing Bowl
• Bench Scraper (optional)
• Pasta Machine (Rolling Cutter)
• Ring Mold
• Piping Bag
• Wooden Spoon
• Sauce Pan
• Whisk
• Plate for Plating
• Microplane Zester (optional)
• Plastic Wrap

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Steaming and shocking the king crab to prevent over‑cooking
• Separating exactly 11 egg yolks for dough and reserving 1 yolk for the center
• Kneading the pasta dough for the proper texture and resting it
• Rolling the dough to the thinnest setting without tearing
• Sealing the raviolo without air bubbles and preserving the runny yolk
• Making a stable beurre blanc without breaking

Chef Tips from the Video

• Reserve a pinch of dill for garnish; it adds a fresh pop of flavor at the end.
• Use a ring mold to keep the raviolo perfectly circular for a professional look.
• When blending the herb oil, stop the blender as soon as the mixture is emulsified to keep the herbs bright.
• A splash of lemon zest in the filling balances the richness of the crab and butter.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store any leftover raviolo, herb oil, and sauce in airtight containers for up to 24 hours.

Freezer: Do not freeze the assembled raviolo; the delicate egg yolk will not survive thawing.

Room temperature: Serve immediately; the dish loses its texture if left at room temperature for more than 30 minutes.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Herb oil can be prepared up to 2 days ahead and stored in a sealed bottle in the fridge.
• Beurre blanc can be made earlier; gently re‑warm over low heat before serving.
• Pasta dough can rest for up to 1 hour; keep wrapped tightly.

Frequently Asked Questions