Little Ears with Dandelion Greens / <i>Orecchiette con Radicchiella</i>

Step 1

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Stir in the bread crumbs and "toast" the crumbs, stirring them in the oil until they are golden brown. Transfer them to a bowl and stir in the cheese. Set aside. Wipe out the sauté pan and set aside.

Step 2

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the dandelion greens, and cook, uncovered, for 6 to 7 minutes. Drain in a colander; when cool, squeeze out as much water as possible, reserving 1/4 cup. Transfer the greens to a cutting board and coarsely chop them. There should be about 1 1/2 cups. Set aside.

Step 3

Heat the remaining 1/3 cup of the olive oil in the sauté pan over medium heat. Stir in the scallions and yellow and hot peppers and cook until the scallions look translucent and glazed. Stir in the garlic and dandelion greens and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the black pepper and salt and set aside off the heat.

Step 4

Cook the orecchiette according to the directions. These will take a little longer to cook because of their thickness, so test occasionally for doneness. Drain the pasta and transfer to the sauté pan along with the reserved greens water.

Step 5

Reheat the dandelion-and-orecchiette mixture, stirring quickly to combine everything well. Transfer the mixture to a serving platter. Sprinkle the bread-crumb-and-cheese mixture over the top and serve immediately.

Step 6

Note: This is a spicy dish; adjust the amount of salt and hot pepper to taste.