ORECCHIETTE WITH DANDELION, SAUSAGE, AND LEMON ZEST

ORECCHIETTE WITH DANDELION, SAUSAGE, AND LEMON ZEST image

Yield 4 to 6 people

Number Of Ingredients 11

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fine sea salt
1 ½ pounds dandelion greens, tough outer leaves removed, rinsed, and sliced 1 inch thick
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 pinches of hot red pepper flakes
grated zest of 1 lemon
1 ½ cups crumbled hot sausage meat
½ cup dry white wine
1 pound orecchiette
¹/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano
freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the dandelion greens to the pot and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Drain. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and sauté until browned, about 2 minutes. Remove the garlic form the pan and discard it. Add the cooked dandelion greens to the pan, stirring to coat them with the oil. Season with salt, red pepper, and lemon zest. Cover with a lid and lower the heat. Cook for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Place the sausage meat in a large skillet over low heat. Cook until the fat begins to render. Raise the heat and add the wine to the pan. Cook until the alcohol evaporates, about 3 minutes, then add the dandelion greens, stir, and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, bring another pot of salted water to a boil and cook the orecchiette until al dente, about 7 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking liquid and drain the pasta. Transfer it to a big bowl and add the sauce, mixing as you do. Add a bit of cooking liquid to help it emulsify. Finish by topping with grated Pecorino Romano and black pepper and serve family style at the table. VINO The potent flavors of sausage and dandelion greens demand a full-bodied California Cabernet.