Pappardelle with Eggplant Ragu and Fresh Ricotta Recipe
Ingredients:
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 large eggplants, peeled and cut into 1” cubes
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, or for a spicy version
3 Fresno chilis, seeded and thinly sliced
½ teaspoon chili flakes
1 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt
1 ½ cups fresh ricotta cheese, room temperature (Calabro is an excellent brand)
minced parsley or mint
fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup red wine
1 pound fresh pappardelle or other fresh pasta, preferably wide, flat noodles
zest of 1 orange
fresh ground black pepper
Preparation Instructions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and set serving bowls aside to warm.
Put the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic and saute for 1 minute, not allowing the garlic to burn. Add the eggplant, chili flakes and Kosher salt. Lower the heat to medium. Saute, stirring occasionally until the eggplant is nearly tender. You can give it a little more oil if you need to, but don’t get carried away, as it will just keep soaking it up. If there is a lot of sticking, lower the heat and add some of the red wine early. Add the red pepper and cook for 2 more minutes. Deglaze with the red wine, and continue to cook until the eggplant is fully tender. Reduce heat to very low. Taste and adjust seasoning. Boil the pasta according to package directions. For fresh pappardelle this will usually be about 5 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of water. Toss the noodles with the simmering eggplant ragu, mixing in some or all of the pasta water to achieve a light glaze on the noodles but definitely not a soupy sauce. Divide the pasta among the serving bowls. Divide the ricotta as well, placing a few tablespoon-sized dabs on each plate. Garnish with the parsley or mint, Parmesan cheese, orange zest and black pepper and serve immediately.
Photo credit: nebulux76
