Pappardelle and Eggplant Ragu Recipe with Fresh Ricotta - Mother Earth Living

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 red onion, finely diced
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 large eggplants (about 3 pounds total), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 red bell pepper or, for a spicy version, 3 Fresno chiles, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 pound fresh pappardelle or other fresh pasta (preferably wide, flat noodles)
• 1 1/2 cups ricotta (Calabro is an excellent brand), at room temperature, drained if necessary.
• Minced fresh flatleaf parsley or mint leaves
• Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Grated zest of 1 orange
• Freshly ground black pepper