Step 1.
For the Pasta: Make a well with your flour and salt in a suitable bowl or bench top. Combine the liquid with a spoon and gently pour into the middle of the well. Stir the ingredients slowly incorporating the flour until well combined. Once thick enough start to use your hands and work it into a dough. Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes until its smooth and round. You know its complete when you press into the dough and it springs back into shape. Store in your fridge for at least an hour, but the longer the better.
Step 2.
Using your pasta roller get the pasta as thin as you like, for spaghetti you can attach your cutter and use, but if you prefer fettuccine or pappardelle feel free to just cut from the sheets with an appropriate knife.
Step 3.
For the Bisque: Firstly clean the prawns, reserve all the shells and heads and roast in the oven at 180’ for 10 minutes. This will get a nice colour started on them. The flesh of the prawns will be used the sauce later.
Step 4.
Finely dice the carrot, onion and celery and cook on low for a few minutes to soften, without colour. Add your tomato paste and fry off for 2 minutes until it thickens. Deglaze with white wine and brandy.
Step 5.
At this point add your chopped tomato and roasted prawn heads in and stir. Add your water and whatever herbs you have about (thyme and parsley stalks are great)
Step 6.
Simmer at this point for 50 minutes. Once done, use a stick blender to blitz up the whole pot. alternatively you can use a blender and do it in batches. Once blitzed pass through a fine sieve to remove unwanted shell pieces. Taste for salt and all good to store in fridge.
Step 7.
For the Lobster: Assuming you have a half or two halves of a lobster already, you just need to prop it up on a an oven tray using foil so that it is flat, then season with sea salt and a break a few chunks of butter off to place along the flesh side. Roast in the oven for 12 minutes at 180’ and then rest for three minutes before serving. Garnish with some finely sliced chives.
Step 8.
To assemble: Put your lobster into the oven to start cooking. Bring a pot of salted water to the boil for your pasta. Fresh pasta takes much less time than dried pasta so be prepared! In a saucepan bring the bisque to a boil and then gently poach your prawns inside for roughly 3 minutes. Add your cooked pasta and a little bit of chilli if you like at this point. The sauce will thicken on its own due the prawn heads, and the pasta itself so just a few tosses in the pan and your all done. Serve on a big dish and place your cooked lobster across the top.
