Every year, PHCSA Coordinator Colleen Kestner looks forward to corn season specifically for this pasta. She discovered this Melissa Clark recipe a few years ago as a way to use up the mid-season bounty of corn, but now can’t wait for it every year. It satisfies the creaminess and smokiness of a carbonara but with a fresh summer twist.
by Melissa Clark for the New York Times
Serves 3-4
12 ounces dry orecchiette or farfalle
4 ounces of pancetta or bacon, diced (optional)
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling (skip if using pancetta or bacon)
1 bunch scallions (about 8), trimmed and thinly sliced (keep the whites and greens separate)
2 large ears corn, shucked and kernels removed (2 cups kernels)
½ teaspoon ground black pepper, more for serving
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, more to taste
⅓ cup torn basil or mint, more for garnish
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
Fresh lemon juice, as needed
Fine sea salt
PREPARATION
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until 1 minute shy of al dente, according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
Meanwhile, sautée pancetta or bacon until crispy, if using, then remove from pan and set aside, leaving rendered fat in pan. If not, heat oil in large sauté pan over medium heat. Add scallion whites and a pinch of salt and cook until soft, 3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water and all but 1/4 cup corn; simmer until corn is heated through and almost tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, transfer to a blender, and purée mixture until smooth, adding a little extra water if needed to get a thick but pourable texture.
Heat the same skillet over high heat. Add butter and let melt. Add reserved 1/4 cup corn and cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes. (It’s O.K. if the butter browns; that deepens the flavor.) Add the corn purée and cook for 30 seconds to heat and combine the flavors.
Reduce heat to medium. Add pasta and half the reserved pasta cooking water, tossing to coat. Cook for 1 minute, then add a little more of the pasta cooking water if the mixture seems too thick. Stir in 1/4 cup of the scallion greens, the pancetta (if using), the Parmesan, the herbs, the red pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Sprinkle with fresh lemon juice to taste. Transfer to warm pasta bowls and garnish with more scallions, herbs, a drizzle of olive oil and black pepper.
