Dining & Catering: The Observatory

For the dough…
Place the flour salt and olive oil in to a food processor and pulse until well combined.  Add the whole egg and both egg yolks into the mixture, one at a time, pulsing the processor after each addition, until the dough is fully combined.  The mixture should be moist, however not sticky.  Remove the dough from the processor and form it into a ball, wrap in plastic-wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.

To roll the pasta dough…
Remove the dough from the fridge and microwave for 15 seconds to soften.  Roll the dough out on a lightly floured table, with a floured rolling pin, until the dough can fit into a traditional pasta machine set to the maximum width.  Roll the dough through twice on this setting, and then reduce the thickness of the pasta machine in increments, until the pasta can pass easily through the machine set on #3.  Fold the pasta up again, end to end, so that the folded dough can once again just fit into the machine.  Repeat this process, again taking the pasta down to thickness setting #3.  Cut the pasta into circles using a cookie cutter, or clean can of approximately 3” in diameter.  Place these disks onto a plate that has plastic wrap stretched tightly across it, and then cover then with a second piece of wrap so they do not dry out.
Roll each disk through the pasta machine beginning on setting #3, and working the pasta down to setting #9, the thinnest setting.  The rolled out pasta disks should be approximately 6.5” in diameter.  Only roll out a few disks at a time, as they have a tendency to dry out.

To assemble the tortellini…
Lay the completely rolled pasta disks out on a lightly floured work surface, with a small ramekin of cool water and the tortellini filling close at hand.  Spoon approximately 3 tablespoons of the filling into the centre of each disk.  Dip your finger into the water rub a thin bead, along one half of the pasta disk.  Fold the other half of the disk over and pinch at the top, so that you now have what resembles a half circle.  From the top, the point that you pinched the pasta, slowly pinch the pasta out towards the crease, working the air out of the tortellini, and up snug against filling. Cut the rough edge off the “half moon” off using a pair of scissors.  Wet one of the corners of the ‘half moon” with water again.  Using your hand to support the entire pasta, fold the dry corner over the corner that is now wet, and connect the top by pinching the two together.  This will give you the shape of the tortellini.  Use your fingers to push the tortellini down a bit, so that it sits level on the table, and making it symmetrical.

To cook the tortellini…
Steam the tortellini on a vegetable steamer set into a large pot, with approximately 2 inches of water, however not so much that the bottom of the tortellini are sitting in water.  Steam them for 8 minutes, and then serve.

Grill the sausages until fully cooked, and reserve.  Combine butter, olive oil, white onion, garlic and Pernod in a medium sized pot, cover and cook over medium heat until the onions are soft.  Add the sliced fennel and cook till soft.  Add the sausages, and put the mixture into a food processor.  Pulse the mixture until it is uniform, but not smooth.  Add bread crumbs and pulse again in the processor.  Season as desired.  Allow the mixture to cool, to room temperature then gently mix in the lobster, chives and chopped parsley until well combined. 

1/4 lb (125 g) scallops, cleaned, patted dry, and chilled on ice
2/3 cup (150 mL) whipping cream (35%) – chilled on ice
pinch of salt

1/4 cup (60 mL) butter 
3 Tbsp + 1 tsp (50 mL) olive oil
3 shallots, finely diced
2 fennel bulbs, sliced thinly
3 Tbsp + 1 tsp (50 mL) Noilly Prat
3 Tbsp + 1 tsp (50 mL) Pernod
juice of 2 freshly squeezed lemons

Place a large pot onto a burner on high heat. Meanwhile rinse clams under cold water and discard any open shells. Prepare a bowl with ice and water on the side; this will be used to cool the cooked clams.  When the pan is hot place the clams inside, add both liquids and cover with lid. When shells open, remove from heat, place clams into a bowl and set atop ice bath.  Remove meat from shell as it cools.  Strain cooking liquid onto cooled clam meat and reserve in fridge. 

1/2 cup (125 mL) clam liqueur
1 1/4 cup (310 mL) lobster bisque (freshly made lobster bisque from a quality vendor is ideal)
3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp (205 mL) whipping cream (%35)
juice of 1 freshly squeezed lemon
1/2 cup (125 mL) basil leaves

Combine the clam liqueur, lobster reduction and cream in a medium sized sauce pot and put onto medium heat.  Simmer the mixture until it is well combined.  Add lemon juice and basil, and remove from heat.  Allow to “steep” for 10 minutes.  Strain into another medium sized sauce pot, adjust seasoning as desired and reserve.