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Escargot Purses with Fennel Butter

Escargot Purses with Fennel Butter
Yields
4 servings

I love this unique presentation for escargots. For testing this recipe, we used fresh lasagna sheets because they’re cut larger and covered the filling completely. However, if you prefer to use packaged dry noodles, cook them 4 minutes longer. They won’t completely cover the filling but they will still be delicious. Yield is 4 appetizers.

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ingredients

Fresh Pasta

1 ½
cup all purpose flour
3
large egg

Basic Tomato Sauce

1
Tbsp olive oil
1
clove garlic, chopped
½
small Onion, chopped
1
Tbsp pernod
7
oz canned crushed plum tomato
½
cup water
2
Tbsp chopped fresh chervil
2
Tbsp 35% cream, (whipping cream)
coarse salt, and freshly cracked black pepper

Snail Mixture

½
cup bread, cubes, (1 cm or ½ inch)
5
Tbsp butter
1
tsp fennel, seeds, toasted
½
fennel, bulb, chopped
3
cloves garlic, minced
2
Tbsp vermouth
24
canned snail, drained
2
Tbsp chopped chervil
coarse salt, and freshly cracked black pepper

Assembly

olive oil, for baking dish
4
chives, blanched
2
green onion, cut in half
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directions

Step 1

Put 1 1/4 cups of the flour into a large bowl.

Step 2

Make a well in the centre of the flour and crack the eggs into the well.

Step 3

With your hands, gradually mix the flour into the eggs until dough forms.

Step 4

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.

Step 5

Knead the dough a few times until you have incorporated as much of the remaining 1/4 cup of flour as possible. The dough will appear lumpy and dry.

Step 6

Cut the dough in half and put one ball under a slightly damp towel.

Step 7

Flatten the other piece with your hand.

Step 8

Set a pasta roller at thickest setting and feed dough through rollers.

Step 9

Fold dough into an envelope shape and feed through machine again.

Step 10

Repeat 3 or 4 more times or until your dough looks smooth.

Step 11

Reduce the pasta setting by one mark and pass through again.

Step 12

Reduce setting by one mark for each pass through until dough has passed through all settings.

Step 13

Cut the sheet of dough in half and put the 2 sheets under a sheet of plastic wrap.

Step 14

Repeat the entire process with the second dough ball.

Step 15

You now have 4 sheets of pasta under plastic.

Step 16

Heat olive oil in a small saucepan on medium heat.

Step 17

Add onion and garlic for about 4 minutes or until soft.

Step 18

Add Pernod and cook for 30 seconds.

Step 19

Add the tomatoes and 1/2 cup of water.

Step 20

Partially cover and simmer for about 15 minutes or until sauce is very thick.

Step 21

Stir in the chervil and cream.

Step 22

Season to taste and set aside.

Step 23

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 24

Saute bread cubes in 1 tbsp. of butter on medium until golden, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Step 25

Set aside.

Step 26

In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tbsp. of butter and add the fennel seeds and fennel.

Step 27

Saute until softened, about 6 minutes.

Step 28

Add the garlic. Continue sauteing for another minute.

Step 29

Add the vermouth and simmer for 2 minutes.

Step 30

Add remaining 2 tbsp. butter, the bread cubes and the snails and heat through.

Step 31

Add chervil and the salt and pepper to taste.

Step 32

Boil the lasagna noodles in a pot of salted water until al dente, about 4 minutes.

Step 33

Put 1/4 of snail mixture in the centre of each square.

Step 34

Tie the pasta with green onions and put the purses in an oiled baking dish.

Step 35

Pour the sauce around the purses and cook in oven for 5 to 8 minutes or until heated through.

Rate Recipe

My rating for Escargot Purses with Fennel Butter
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