Pork sausage with dandelion greens and chili flakes

Ingredients

Sausage
2 tsp. paprika
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. black pepper
2/3 tsp. fennel seed
1/2 tsp. chili flakes
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried sage
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 lb. ground pork

To finish
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. fresh fettuccine 
4 cups chopped dandelion greens
1 tsp. chili flakes
2 cups white wine
1 1/4 cups grated Parmesan

Directions

For sausage: Grind seasonings in a spice grinder or blender. In a bowl, mix ground pork and seasonings by hand until it starts to come together, 2 to 3 minutes. Cover and set aside until ready to cook.

To finish: In a large pot, boil water with enough salt to make it slightly salty (about 1 tsp. for every 4 cups). In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add sausage and break apart using a wooden spoon. Cook until done and slightly caramelized, 4 to 5 minutes. Don't worry about the amount of fat that builds up; you'll use that to emulsify the sauce.

While sausage is cooking, drop pasta into boiling water. Cook to al dente, 4 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, stir dandelion greens and chili flakes into cooked sausage. Give it a few tosses and deglaze with wine. Reduce liquid by half, then add pasta. Give it a few more tosses and reduce until it starts to thicken, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of the Parmesan and toss a few more times. Transfer to a serving plate and top with remaining cheese.

Serves 4 to 6