dandelion pesto and sausage pasta

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 bunches dandelion greens, stems and center ribs discarded and leaves cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 pound orecchiette pasta
• 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 pound bulk italian sausage

Recipe

Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 25 mins Ready Time: 45 mins


• bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; add dandelion greens and cook until softened, about 1 minute. transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving water in the pot.
• return dandelion cooking water to a boil; add orecchiette and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
• process 3/4 of the dandelion greens in a food processor until finely chopped. add parmesan cheese, pine nuts, mascarpone cheese, and olive oil; process until pesto is smooth. season pesto with salt and black pepper.
• heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. cook and stir sausage in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. stir orecchiette, dandelion pesto, reserved pasta water, and remaining dandelion greens into sausage; bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. ladle into bowls and garnish with parmesan cheese.