Goats’ cheese ravioli, spiced cauliflower and quails’ eggs with a caper and sultana dressing
Creamy goats’ cheese encased in soft pasta served with nutty roast cauliflower and a sweet and salty dressing. There are quite a few steps to this dish, but they are definitely worth it.
Equipment: You will need a fluted pasta cutter.
Ingredients
- 4 quails’ eggs
For the ravioli
- 500g/1lb 2oz ‘00’ flour, plus extra for dusting
- 4 free-range egg yolks
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for cooking
- 1 free-range egg, beaten
- 225g/8oz soft goats’ cheese, broken up
For the cauliflower
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- pinch ground cumin
- pinch ground turmeric
- 1 head cauliflower, broken into florets
- 1 head purple cauliflower, broken into florets
- 1 thyme sprig
- 1 bay leaf
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the dressing
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp extra virgin rapeseed oil
- 8 capers, roughly chopped
- 20g/¾oz golden raisins, soaked in warm water and drained
- ½ tbsp finely chopped flatleaf parsley.
- nasturtium leaves and flowers, to garnish
- watercress leaves, to garnish
Method
Cook the quails' eggs in boiling, salted water for 3 minutes. Plunge into a bowl of iced water for 3 minutes. Peel and set aside.
To make the ravioli, put the flour on a work surface and make a well in the centre. Add the egg yolks and oil to the well and gradually incorporate the flour to make a dough. Knead until smooth and wrap in cling film. Allow to rest for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
To make the cauliflower, mix the oil with the cumin, turmeric, salt and pepper, then rub the mixture all over the cauliflower. Place the florets on a large square piece of kitchen foil. Add the thyme, bay and 50ml/2fl oz water.
Fold the foil into a parcel by folding the long lengths together and scrunching up the ends. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the cauliflower is just cooked. Open the parcel and allow the cauliflower to cool, reserving the cooking juices.
Return to the ravioli. On a lightly floured work surface, separate the pasta into two pieces and roll each piece into a very thin rectangle. Brush one rectangle with the beaten egg.
Scatter the cheese over the egg-coated pasta sheet in four piles, allowing equal space between each pile. Cover with the second sheet of pasta and press down the edges and between the cheese to seal. Cut out four ravioli using a fluted cutter.
Bring a pan of salted water with a dash of oil to the boil and cook the ravioli for 2 minutes, until all dente.
To make the dressing, mix together the mustard, vinegar, oil, capers, salt, pepper and a splash of water. Stir in the sultanas and parsley.
Serve the ravioli with the cauliflower, with dressing drizzled over, garnished with the eggs, nasturtium leaves and flowers and watercress leaves.
Recipe Tips
If you’re lucky enough to come across an orange cauliflower, this would be a great addition.
