Slow roasting is my favorite way to prepare cauliflower, and this time of the year I prepare it often (using this recipe or something similar). Slow roasting means it will take longer (90 minutes to 2 hours), but the cauliflower will have much greater depth of flavor compared to roasting it quickly in a hotter oven. As I love to make homemade ravioli, it was only a matter of time before I’d try to stuff ravioli with slow-roasted cauliflower. I’ve posted about cauliflower ravioli before, braised with red wine and olives, or braised with white wine and lemon. Roasting the cauliflower instead gives the filling a deeper flavor and a texture with more bite to it. Here’s what I did…
Ingredients
Makes about 40 ravioli
1 cauliflower
3 eggs
200 grams (1 1/3 cup) Italian 00 flour
extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp chilli flakes
salt
freshly grated parmigiano reggiano
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 160C/325F. Break the cauliflower into florets. Arrange the florets in a large oven proof dish in a single layer. Season with salt, ground cumin, and chilli flakes. Drizzle olive oil on top, and toss to mix.
Roast for an hour, stirring halfway to ensure even cooking. Then add a minced garlic clove, stir, and roast for another half hour.
The cauliflower should be tender and browned but not burnt. Roast for a bit longer if needed.
Allow the cauliflower to cool somewhat, then put in the food processor together with two big handfuls of freshly grated parmigiano reggiano and an egg.
Pulse until the mixture is coarsely ground. It is nicer with some texture rather than becoming a smooth puree. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, remembering that the filling of ravioli should always be seasoned slightly more than you think when you taste it by itself.
Cover and refrigerate the filling for at least an hour to allow it to firm up.
In the meantime, make fresh pasta dough using 2 eggs and about 200 grams of flour, allow it to rest, then roll it out very thinly, and make ravioli.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and when the water boils, cook the ravioli for 2 minutes. I served them simply with freshly grated parmigiano and a bit of very good extra virgin olive oil drizzled on top.
Wine pairing
This is nice with a light-bodied red that can handle spicy food such as a Bardolino, Zweigelt, or Mencía.
Do you find it is really worth the extra time?
I have never done such a slow roast. Does it make a big difference?
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It is definitely worth the extra time, both flavor and texture are very different compared to 30 minutes at 225C/425F. The best way to find out though, is to give it a try yourself 🙂 We had slow-roasted cauliflower for dinner tonight (together with carnitas) that I roasted on Sunday as I would not want to wait for 2 hours to have dinner when I come home for work…
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The spice you use with the cauliflower sound yummy. 🌸 I really enjoyed reading this and will enjoy making it even better ! 🌸 Wait…eating is the pinnacle! 🌸
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I will add roasting cauliflower this way to my list of things I want to try. It looks fabulous, especially with the spicy chile flakes.
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I am with you: slow roasting makes most vegetables taste so much better.
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Oh roasted cauliflower sounds wonderful on its own. I can’t believe I’ve never made cauliflower this way. Your ravioli sound quite delicious too
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I’ve also not slow roasted cauliflower- only tomatoes and I know how well that works. It just never occurred to me. I love to come across something so simple, so new and so “duh”. I’m definitely going to try it. And broccoli too. I’ll have a go at it with sumac.
And I’ve gotten over my hesitation with things like squash or pumpkin in a ravioli- it’s quite good. I bet this cauliflower is too.
Thanks! wendy.
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Mai fatti col cavolfiore! Devono essere squisiti
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The cauliflower was so good slow roasted that i couldn’t stop tasting it until it was gone. I’ll do the ravioli another time.
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LOL. Great to hear.
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This is a great recipe, firstly thank you Stefan!
I was thrilled by the slow-roast idea and had to try it out instantly.
Long story short – the slow-roasting is super, it gives your cauliflower such an intense taste. I imagine the roasted cauliflower on its own would also be a tasty side dish.
One question remained though: what program did you set the oven to? I used heat from top and bottom, no fan. Does that match your settings?
Cheers!
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I use the same setting. With the fan, the edges of the cauliflower will end up burnt before they are tender.
Great to hear you liked it!
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I roast just about every vegetable I ever make but, have never heard this about the fan. That is great to know and I can’t wait to try this dish! It looks amazing!
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