Orecchiette with Chickpeas, Turmeric and Dandelion Greens

The authors, a married team of chefs who run the Michelin-starred Don Angie in New York City, are careful to distinguish their culinary style as Italian-American, different in subtle and not-so-much ways from traditional Italian cooking. The grand- and great-grandchildren of Italian immigrants to New York, they share a heritage of “red sauce”—the generic term for tomato-based pasta sauce that graced their families’ Sunday dinner tables. Their recipes result in soul-satisfying dishes like Spicy Fra Diavola Sauce, Italian Sausage Bolognese, and Stuffed Shells with Clams, Spinach & Pancetta. There’s a whole chapter (!) dedicated to meatballs of all types, and a lovely selection of vegetable sides. The collection of antipasti could be a cookbook all its own. These aren’t difficult recipes, but they take some time. And you’ll want someone—a partner, a kid, a grandmother—in the kitchen with you to help with the chopping and stirring. Family, after all, is what Italian-American food is all about.

— Bryn Mooth

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From the book Italian American: Red Sauce Classics & New Essentials,
By Angie Rito & Scott Tacinelli
SERVES 4 TO 6


This is a hearty, vegetable-based pasta dish in the spirit of pasta e ceci, a Roman stew of pasta and chickpeas with a million different variations (some are more soupy, some have tomatoes, some involve bitter greens, etc.). No matter who’s making it, though, the two staple ingredients remain the same. Chickpeas show up often in Italian cuisine, all across the country, where they’re combined with pasta, or made into regional specialties that range from porridge to fritters to focaccia. Here, they provide textural contrast and a nutty flavor, while dandelion greens add depth, and the turmeric supplies a pleasantly bitter earthy note to complement the greens.


A splash of heavy cream rounds out the flavors, while lemon juice brightens up everything. If you can’t find dandelion greens, feel free to use another hearty green, such as lacinato kale or mature spinach; you can also add a cup or so of crumbled Italian sausage to make a non-vegetarian version.



½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, grated on a Microplane
4 cups diced yellow onions (about 2 medium onions)
4 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon crushed Calabrian chiles in oil
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons ground turmeric


2 teaspoons tomato paste
½ pound dandelion greens, lacinato kale, or spinach, stemmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 (15.5-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ cup heavy cream
1 pound store-bought dried orecchiette
½ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice




In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until soft and aromatic, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the onions, salt, black pepper, Calabrian chiles, and sugar and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook until the onions are soft but haven’t taken on any color, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the turmeric and tomato paste and cook until the onions are translucent, another 2 to 3 minutes. If anything sticks on the bottom of the pot, add a tablespoon of water and scrape it off with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula.


Add the dandelion greens and cook until the greens are very soft and tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the chickpeas and heavy cream and cook for an additional minute, then remove from the heat and set aside.

In another large pot, bring 4 quarts water and ½ cup kosher salt to a boil over high heat. Add the orecchiette and cook until just cooked through and slightly chewy, 45 to 60 seconds for fresh or according to the package directions for dried. Drain and return the pasta back to the cooking pot. Add the sauce and stir in the Parmesan and lemon juice.


Serve immediately in individual bowls or family style. Leftovers keep, tightly covered in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days.

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