Pasta roll filled with fried cauliflower & ricotta

(Rotolo di cavolfiore e ricotta)

Serves 6

2½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) cauliflower, cut into very small florets and blanched

1 garlic clove, finely diced

250 g (9 oz) fresh egg pasta dough, divided into two balls and set aside to rest

400 g (14 oz/1²/₃ cup) fresh ricotta cheese

30 g (1 oz) flat-leaf (Italian) parsley leaves, roughly chopped

100 g (3½ oz/1 cup) coarsely grated gruyère cheese

50 g (1¾ oz) salted butter, chopped

40 g (1½ oz/¹/₃ cup) fresly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus extra, to serve

sliced fresh truffle, to taste (optional)

Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and sauté the cauliflower and garlic until lightly golden. Set aside to cool.

To make the pasta roll, roll the balls of pasta dough to 1 mm (¹/₃₂ inch) thick (see Note). This should yield two sheets of approximately 75 x 14 cm (29 x 5½ inches). Cut into 3 crossways. Lay 3 of these sheets onto muslin (cheesecloth), overlapping by 1 cm (½ inch) to form a sheet of pasta about 40 x 25 cm (16 x 10 inches). Brush the joins lightly with water to seal. Repeat with the other 3 sheets on top. Crumble the ricotta evenly on the sheets followed by the parsley leaves, gruyère cheese and the cauliflower mix, leaving a 5 cm (2 inch) gap at the end and a 3 cm (1¼ inch) gap at the sides.

Roll the pasta roll from the longer side, being sure to roll tightly. Seal the end with a little water and fold in the sides. Wrap tightly in the muslin and tie the ends with a piece of string. Place the pasta roll in a fish boiler of boiling water (if this is unavailable, simply use a large stockpot with water and bring to the boil). Cook for approximately 30 minutes. You may need to weigh it down with a rack and turn it halfway through cooking. Remove the pasta roll from the water and allow to cool slightly.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Unwrap the pasta roll and slice into 2–3 cm (¾ x 1¼ inch) slices and place on a large greased baking tray. Top with the butter and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and bake for approximately 15–20 minutes, or until light golden. Serve immediately with the butter from the dish spooned over, extra Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and truffle, if desired.

NOTE: The pasta for this dish needs to be thin, otherwise the middle of the pasta roll will not be cooked. However, if the pasta is too thin, the pasta roll will tear and fall apart when slicing.