PASTA WITH SAUSAGE AND DANDELION GREENS

PASTA WITH SAUSAGE AND DANDELION GREENS image

Yield 4 people

Number Of Ingredients 12

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1 ÃÂ½ pounds dandelion greens, tough outer leaves removed, rinsed, and sliced 1 inch thick
Â¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 small orÂÂ med onion, diced
6 sundried tomatoes (in oil) minced
2 pinches of hot red pepper flakes
Â¾ lb crumbled hot sausage meat
Â½ + cup dry white wine
1 pound orecchiette
Couple of squeezes of tomato paste from tube
ÃÂ¹/3 + 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 saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, tomatoes and saute until browned, about 2 minutes. Add the cooked dandelion greens to the pan, stirring to coat them with the oil. Season with salt, red pepper. Cover with a lid and lower the heat. Cook for about 10 minutes then add the sausage meat. Cook until the fat begins to render. Raise the heat and add the wine to the pan. Add tomato paste. 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 ÃÂ½ 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.