Grilled head-on shrimp with smoked shrimp-black olive ravioli and yellow pepper sauce

Makes 4 servings

Black olive pasta

1/8 pound Kalamata olives, pitted

¼ cup white wine

1 egg yolk

¾ ounce squid ink

1 ½ + cups unbleached all purpose flour

1. Puree the olives, white wine, egg and squid ink in a blender until smooth. Transfer the puree to a mixer and add the flour. Continue to add flour until you have a smooth, pliable dough.
2. Knead 10 minutes. Wrap in plastic and let rest in the refrigerator at least one hour and up to two days.
3. Using a pasta machine, roll the pasta into thin sheets. 

Smoked shrimp filling

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon shallot, cut into 1/8 inch dice

1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ pound washed and dried spinach, chopped

8 large smoked shrimp, peeled and chopped into ¼ inch dice

½ teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

¼ cup fresh dry ricotta cheese    

1 tablespoon grated pecorino Romano cheese

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-low heat with the shallots and garlic, season with salt and cook 4 minutes, or until tender.
2. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the spinach and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until wilted.  Drain and squeeze to remove moisture.  When the spinach has cooled, chop fine.
3. Add the shrimp and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the pieces just turn pink. Take care not to overcook the shrimp, or it will be tough.  Remove from the heat and cool.
4. Mix the cheeses and oregano together in a bowl. Add the spinach and shrimp and stir to combine.  Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. 
5. To make ravioli:

Cut the sheets into 12 2 ½ inch squares and lay in a single layer on the counter.  Brush the edges with water.  Put a spoonful of filling in each square.  Fold the pasta into a triangle, covering the filling and seal well. 

1. Set on a tray dusted with semolina.  Sprinkle the tops with semolina as well.   Cover lightly with a tea towel and refrigerate until ready to use.

Roasted yellow pepper sauce

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons sliced leek, white part only

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 yellow peppers - roasted, peeled and deseeded

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a frying pan over medium-low heat.  Add the leeks, season with salt and pepper, cover with a round of parchment paper and cook 6 minutes, or until tender.  Uncover, increase the heat to medium, add the garlic and peppers and cook 5 minutes.
2. Transfer the leeks, peppers and remaining butter to a blender and puree until smooth. Strain.
3. Taste and add lemon juice and seasonings to taste.  Add water if necessary - the sauce should be thin enough to pour, but water should not break out of the pepper puree.

Grilled head-on shrimp

Zest of half a lemon

2 teaspoons finely minced ginger

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

12 large head on shrimp

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

15 oven-dried cherry tomato halves

4 sprigs oregano

1. Remove the zest from half the lemon and mix it with the ginger, honey, oregano, hot red pepper flakes and vegetable oil. 
2. Peel the shrimp, leaving the head and tail in tact, and save the shells for shrimp stock or shrimp oil.  De-vein the shrimp and place in the bowl with the marinade.  Toss well to coat.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight. 
3. Preheat the grill to 350°F. 
4. Season the shrimp with salt and brush with oil.  Grill the shrimp until cooked through, about 2 minutes per side, depending on the size of the shrimp. 
5. Put a spoonful of yellow pepper sauce in the center of 4 warm plates.  Arrange 3 shrimp, heads up, in the center of the plates and the ravioli around the shrimp.  Garnish with oven dried tomatoes and oregano sprigs.