Lamb Ravioli with Preserved Lemons

Place 360 g of all-purpose flour on a clean surface and make a well in the center

Pour 300 g of beaten egg yolk into the well

Incorporate the eggs into the flour by hand, pushing from the edges to the center. Knead until a tight ball can be formed

Stretch cling film over the work surface and drizzle it with olive oil. Rub the top and the bottom of the dough in the oil

Wrap the dough and refrigerate it for 12h to relax the gluten

Preheat the oven to 160 °C

Cover 3 lemons with water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Strain the water and repeat this process 3 times

Strain the liquid and return the lemons to the saucepan. Add 1 L of water, 360 g of sugar, and 40 g of salt

Add 2 sprigs of rosemary and 2 sprigs of thyme. Boil over medium-high heat until the lemons start to soften

Remove from the heat and cover with plastic wrap. Let the lemons absorb the flavor for at least 3h before using. The preserved lemons are ready

Place 1 lamb shoulder in a baking tray and coat it completely with ½ cup of olive oil

Season all sides with salt and espelette pepper powder to taste

Tear 3 rosemary sprigs and 1 bunch of thyme. Place them on top and around the lamb

Pour 1½ cups of white wine and 2 cups of water around the lamb

Add 3 smashed, unpeeled garlic cloves

Cover the lamb with parchment paper

Cover the baking tray with aluminum foil, making a full seal. Cook the lamb shoulder for 3h30m, until the meat is tender

Remove the lamb from the oven and let it rest for 15m to set the juices. Carefully take off the aluminum foil and the parchment paper

Transfer the lamb shoulder to a cutting board

Cut the meat and use it for another preparation. Reserve the bones

Reserve the meat juices

Pick the meat from the bones and shred it

Cut it into very small pieces and transfer to a plate

Finely chop 1 tbsp of picked parsley

Finely chop 1 tbsp of picked fennel fronds

Cut 1 tsp of the preserved lemons into very small pieces

Season the cut lamb with salt and espelette pepper powder to taste

Add the parsley and fennel

Add the cut preserved lemons

Add 1 tsp of extra virgin olive oil

Add the cooking meat juice, 1 tbsp at a time, and combine until the meat is moist. Reserve

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and unwrap it. Press it with your hands to flatten it slightly

Dust a clean surface and the dough with fine semolina. Roll the dough with a rolling pin to get a rectangle that will fit through a pasta sheeter

Run the dough repeatedly through a pasta sheeter, changing the setting each time, until you can see your fingers through it

Transfer the dough sheet to a clean surface and cut it in half

Dust the surface under one of the sheets with fine semolina. Mark the dough with a round cutter

Add a portion of the lamb filling to each mark, leaving a small ring of dough around it

Spray the filled dough sheet with water and cover with the other sheet. Press the edges to make a seal

Dust with fine semolina and lightly press the top dough with the cutter to mark each ravioli. Be careful not to tear them

Press the top dough with the cutter, making round movements around each filling, to seal each ravioli and remove as much air from inside as possible

Brush off the excess semolina

Fill a large pot with water and salt to taste. Bring to a simmer over medium heat

Cut each ravioli with a ring mold or a ravioli cutter, making sure all the pieces are well sealed. Transfer to a tray

Simmer the ravioli in batches for 2m until cooked but firm. Drain and reserve the cooking water

Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a saucepan over medium heat

Add the juice of ½ a lemon

Add 2 tbsp of the pasta cooking water. Simmer and stir to emulsify

Add the cooked ravioli and toss to coat. Turn off the heat

Plate the ravioli and drizzle with the butter sauce to taste

Add black pepper and espelette pepper powder to taste

Finish with grated parmesan to taste. The lamb ravioli with preserved lemons is ready

Enjoy!