DANDELION PESTO AND SAUSAGE PASTA

Dandelion Pesto and Sausage Pasta image

I enjoy making this on Friday nights while drinking a great Chianti. You can substitute arugula or broccoli rabe for the dandelion greens, if desired. You can substitute pistachios for the pine nuts, if desired.

Provided by Amy Hunter Shaw

Categories Main Dish Recipes Pasta Pesto Pasta Recipes

Time 45m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 8

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Ingredients

2 bunches dandelion greens, stems and center ribs discarded and leaves cut into 2-inch pieces
1 pound orecchiette pasta
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
½ cup pine nuts
½ cup mascarpone cheese
¼ cup olive oil
salt and ground black pepper to taste
½ pound bulk Italian sausage

Steps:

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.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 705.4 calories, Carbohydrate 74.7 g, Cholesterol 47 mg, Fat 36 g, Fiber 9.6 g, Protein 27.2 g, SaturatedFat 11.3 g, Sodium 642.5 mg, Sugar 3.3 g