“Iwas called the recipe narrator “. Pierluigi Miraglia, a young Nissian, has one certainty: his passion for cooking. Passion that, at a certain point, made him give up his previous professional life and pushed him to devote all his time and energy to cooking. Free to practice it but, above all, free to tell it, because his specialty is not only in preparing delicious dishes full of extraordinary flavors, Pierluigi tells the dish, makes it alive and excites with its stories. Each dish is told, experienced, and expressed with great taste and flavor; that flavor that only Pierluigi can transmit: the taste of love. For this, the recipe must absolutely be accompanied by his story in order to understand, appreciate and, therefore, prepare it with his own passion:
« Pier, can you tell me a story?»
My partner’s little boy pulled the hem of my shirt.
“Sure.” I replied, while I put my palms on my hips and looked around for inspiration.
From the open windows came a breeze that smelled of rain: spring was late in coming.
I moved my gaze to the shelves of the storage wall, and attention focused on a model vessel that I built as a child. I grabbed it and showed it to the little one, starting to tell him about a captain and a small smoking pipe; of a sea with frothy waves and pirates looking for a treasure.
“Look, look,” said the boy. “I found the treasure!” He pulled out of his jacket pocket two nuts, and handed them to me.
At the same moment I took them, my partner appeared in the room.
“I had cauliflower for dinner.”
I smiled at her.
The rain increased strength, bringing a smell of earth and moss as the little boy complained still the captain’s character and his smoking pipe.
 The fantasy clung to the heart, and I began to associate the elements that had intrigued mine senses.
Ravioli, like the treasure chest that those pirates were looking for. A treasure made of cauliflower, with an earthy taste, of ricotta like the waves of the rough sea, whose smell brought back anchovies for the sauté, and walnuts, a detail thought by the little one, whose bitter taste brought me back to the stench of the tobacco of the pipe of the captain.
“Come with me,” I said, grabbing the boy’s hand. “I want to tell you another story.”
« Which?»
« A story in the kitchen … to taste.»

CHEF

Pierluigi Miraglia

KITCHEN

Siciliana

DIFFICULTY

Average

DATA FOR PREPARATION

40 min
Prep

20 min
Cooking

60 min
Total

4 People
Doses

Recipe

INGREDIENTS
  • Clean cauliflower 500 gr

  • Ricotta from sheep 300 gr

  • 00 Flour 250 gr

  • Whole wheat flour 250 gr

  • Eggsn.5

  • Anchovies in oiln.4

  • Garlic cloves n.2

  • Sprig of rosemaryn.1

  • Chopped walnuts q.b.

  • Sultanasq.b.

  • Nutmegq.b.

  • Dried sage q.b.

  • Pepper, salt and extra virgin olive oilq.b.

FILLING PREPARATION

  • Dip the cauliflower in cold water and bring to a boil.
    Leave to simmer for about 6-7 minutes, salting slightly.
     Drain the cauliflower and keep the cooking water (keeping it warm).

  • In the meantime, fry 2 cloves of garlic in extra virgin olive oil over a low heat together with the anchovies, a sprinkling of flavored pepper and a handful of dried sage.
    Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon to facilitate the dissolution of the anchovies.
    When the garlic is golden brown, remove it and sizzle the sauté with a ladle of cauliflower cooking water.

  • Add the cauliflower, sauté well, over medium heat, to flavor it and cook it, covering with the lid until it is soft enough. Help yourself, if necessary, with its cooking water.
    Season with salt and pepper.

  • Blend the cauliflower until a slightly grainy mixture is obtained.
    Pour into a boule and add to the ricotta.
    Stir until a well-blended mixture, adjusting with salt, pepper and adding a pinch of nutmeg (optional).

PREPARATION OF RAVIOLI

  • On the work surface, collect the flour forming a mound and obtain the classic “fountain” in the center.
    Insert the eggs inside the fountain (I recommend breaking the eggs in a boule before in order to be able to recover any pieces of shell mistakenly fallen inside).
    Beat the eggs, with the help of a fork, and add a pinch of salt and two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.

  • Incorporate the flour, gradually recovering it from the edge of the fountain.
    When almost all the flour is incorporated, begin to knead with your hands, very vigorously, absorbing the remaining part.
    Continue to knead until a silky touch is obtained.

  • Roll out a first layer of dough (by machine or with a rolling pin) trying to obtain strips of about 7 cm wide and with a teaspoon, distribute the previously prepared filling trying to space out the small portions of about 5 cm from each other and about 3 cm from the upper edge.
    Moisten the edges of the pasta and fold them over one another making them adhere well, eliminating air bubbles.

  • Make the ravioli with a corrugated pasta cutter wheel, also trimming the upper edge or with a suitable ravioli cutter of suitable size.

DISH PREPARATION

  • Put a saucepan with water on the fire and bring it to a boil.

  • In the meantime, put the chopped walnuts in a pan and toast them on a low heat, stirring occasionally. When they are golden brown, set aside.

  • In a saucepan, melt the butter over a very low heat, adding 2 sprigs of rosemary, 3 anchovies in oil, a handful of sultanas and a pinch of pepper to taste. Leave to flavor and then remove the rosemary sprigs.

  • As soon as the water boils, insert the ravioli and cook them. It will take a few minutes.

  • Drain and serve by sprinkling with melted butter, sprinkle with toasted walnuts and ground pepper. Complete with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprig of rosemary.

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