Large fish ravioli – round or square – are characteristic of the entire Ligurian coast. The filling consists of white fish flesh (preferably rock fish, very tasty), escarole and borage.
As to the curious name of this preparation, “zembi” might come from the Arabic word “zembil”, the basket of twisted leaves made for transporting fish, reminding us of the close connection that Liguria had with the Arab countries during the middle ages. Whilst the word “arzillo” in Genoese dialect is the pungent fragrance of seaweed that grows between the rocks right by the sea.
These ravioli are usually served both with a very simple sauce made of fresh tomatoes and basil or with a fish sauce.
Here you will find one of my fav fish sauces: simple, velvety and not overwhelming. It is made with the bones of the fish you use for the filling, few clams, fresh cherry tomatoes and parsley.
One tip: you can prepare both the ravioli and their sauce in advance and then freeze them. You can take them out the very same day you want to serve them on the table. You can defrost the sauce in the microwave, whilst the ravioli must be put in the boiling water still frozen. Very easy!
Enjoy!
Zembi d’arzillo, the Ligurian fish ravioli
Ingredients
- For the pasta dough
- 250 g of plain flour
- 250 g of semolina flour
- 1 pinch fo salt
- 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
- 4 medium eggs
- cold water
- For the filling
- 2 bunches of borage
- 2 escarole (about 300 g)
- 600 grams of white fish (eg: redfish, monkfish, snapper)
- 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon of fresh chopped marjoram
- 1 egg
- For the sauce
- 400 gr (14 oz) of clams, cleaned
- 4 ripe tomatoes (about 400 g, 14 oz), blanched and peeled
- 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley
- 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- ½ chili pepper (optional)
Instructions
- For the fresh pasta
- Sift the plain flour with the semolina flour, place it on a wooden flat surface and make a well in the middle.
- Whisk eggs with a pinch of salt and pour them in the middle of the flour. Add in olive oil. Work flour and eggs with a fork, then start kneading the dough, pouring cold water little by little, until the dough gets soft, elastic (you can check if its elastic enough putting a finger in the dough: if the dough returns in its previous shape and the hole disappears it’s ready)
- and it doesn’t stick to your fingers anymore.
- Let it rest for about 30 minutes at room temperature wrapped in a plastic film.
- For the ravioli
- Wash and boil the vegetables separately in a little water for 5 or 6 minutes, drain, squeeze well, chop finely and set aside.
- Open the clams by putting them in a shallow pan over a high heat. when opened, de-shell them and reserve the cooking liquid they released.
- Pour 4 tablespoons of oil into a shallow pan, add the clove of garlic, chopped parsley and the fish. Add 1 glass of water (about 120 ml, ½ cup), a pinch of salt, cover and cook over high heat for 7 minutes.
- Let cool, then chop the flesh finely, removing any bone you may find. Fine strain the fish’s cooking liquor, pressing the heads and bones with the back of a spoon to release their liquid, and keep aside.
- Prepare the ravioli filling by mixing the chopped vegetables, the meat of the fish, the egg and the chopped marjoram in a bowl. If it seems dry, add a tablespoon or two of the fish’s cooking liquor. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Now shape ravioli.
- With the rolling pin or with a pasta maker, roll half of the fresh pasta until you have a sheet of very thin dough 1 mm (1/16 inch) in thickness (keep the other half wrapped or under cover, you will roll it afterwards).
- Cut squares of 8 cm (3 inches) each side and lay them on a floured surface. Place a teaspoon of filling in the center of each square of dough, then cover with another square. Seal the edges well, and try to exclude as much air as you can. Cut the edges of the ravioli with a ravioli cutter.
- Proceed until all the pasta and/or filling is finished, placing the ravioli next to each other on a floured tray, but don’t let them touch each other.
- Prepare the sauce by heating 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large pan. Sauté the chopped garlic clove, parsley, diced tomatoes for 7 minutes with the ½ chili pepper if you’re using it. Then add the reserved fish stock or liquor with the shelled clams and 3 tablespoons of the clam’s cooking liquid. Cook together for 5 minutes, then turn off and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Cook the ravioli for 8 minutes in a large pot of boiling salted water, drain and carefully add to the pan with the sauce, stirring gently before serving.
JOIN ME ON MY FOOD JOURNEY
Get my monthly newsletter with fresh recipes, my latest food adventures, upcoming events, and lots more from the sunny Italian Riviera!
