COOKING FROM VENUS

Chop the prawns very finely (but resist the processor/blender), and place with garlic, ginger and spring onions in a bowl. Mix to combine, cover with plastic wrap and set aside until needed.

To make the sauce, put the chilli, fish sauce, palm sugar, lime juice and peanut oil in a jug and whisk to combine, then set aside for serving.

For the pasta - sift the flour into a large bowl, and make a well in the centre. Combine the eggs and the oil, and pour into the flour. Mix well with a wooden spoon, and then turn out onto a floured surface and knead into a smooth dough (2-3 minutes).

Cut dough into eight equal portions and put in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a tea towel.

Take one portion of the dough and roll out as thin as you can possibly do it without tearing it. Continually turn and roll until it's as thin as possible.

Using two circular templates, with one slightly bigger than the other (see note), cut the most circles you can out of the dough, and keep covered. Repeat with the other seven portions, watching that the number of each size you make are the same.

Lay a small circle of pasta on the dusted board and spoon in a heaped teaspoon of the prawn mixture into the centre. Brush the edges with a little water and lay a larger circle on the top, pressing down the edges to form a seal. Using the tynes of a wet fork, complete the seal right around the edge. Repeat with all the rest of the pasta and mixture until you have around 24 individual ravioli. Keep lightly covered with a towel - don't worry about them drying out.

Heat a very large saucepan of water to a rolling boil and cook the ravioli for around eight minutes or until aldente, then ladle each piece individually into a colander for a few seconds only. Dish up onto serving plates and drizzle with sauce, then scatter a few small coriander leaves for serving.

 

Serves four - depending on how good you are at rolling.