If the joining flange is raiced face it does not matter. The surface outside the raised face portion can not apply pressure to the gasket and thus has no effect on the closing parameters.
DO NOT join a flat face flange made of cast iron to a raised face flange made of any material. Malleable/ductile iron? You might get away with it- but gray cast iron (used to make cheap components) will very likely break the first time an ambitious fitter tries to stop a leak by overtightening the flange studs...