Bucatini with Wilted Dandelion Greens and Anchovy Sauce

Preheat your oven to 400 F. When the oven is hot, roast 3 cloves of garlic by placing the unpeeled cloves in a small pan and drizzling them with a bit of olive oil. Bake for about 20 minutes.

When the garlic is finished roasting, squeeze them out of their skins and into a small bowl along with the drained anchovy fillets and 1 teaspoon of the anchovy oil. Mash the garlic and anchovies together to form a paste. Set aside.

Cook the bucatini according to the package directions, and drain when finished. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

During the second half of cooking the pasta, wash and trim the ends from the dandelion greens. Blanch them in a pot of boiling water for just about 3-4 minutes, until the dandelions turn bright green. Then immediately remove them from the water using a slotted spoon or kitchen spider and rinse them under cold running water for a minute. Drain them in a colander and squeeze out any remaining moisture.

Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large sauté pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the dandelion greens and cook for about a minute. Add the 1 clove of minced garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, and mix well. Add the anchovy paste to the mixture, along with the cooked pasta and a bit of the pasta water (add 1/4 cup at a time). Mix so everything is well coated and the water has evaporated.

Add about 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese to the mixture and stir it again.

Add the mixture to a large serving bowl and serve warm.