Dandelion Pesto and Sausage Pasta Recipe

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.