Creamy Corn Pasta

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There's summer in every bite of my Creamy Corn Pasta! Sweet corn kernels are combined with shallots, white wine, and Parmigiano Reggiano to form a creamy and delicious sauce that's tossed with al dente pasta and finished with fresh basil and black pepper.

Prep Time10

Cook Time50

Total Time1

Course: pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Author: James Delmage

Ingredients

For the corn stock

3 corn cobs
3 1/2 cups water

For the pasta

1 pound orecchiette or medium shells, rigatoni, penne, etc.
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
5 cloves garlic sliced
2 large shallots finely diced
2 cups frozen corn kernels
3/4 cup dry white wine sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, chardonnay, etc
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano plus more for serving
10 basil leaves plus more for garnish
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups reserved pasta water will most likley not need all of it

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the corn stock

Remove the kernels and save them for later. With a spoon or knife, scrape the cobs juice into the pot of water and add in the cobs. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Discard the cobs and save the stock to use in the pasta.

For the pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
Heat a large pan to medium-low and add the olive oil, shallots, and garlic. Cook until fragrant and golden (about 3-4 minutes).
Turn the heat to medium and add all of the corn kernels, cooking for 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove half of the cooked corn to a bowl and set aside.
At this time, cook the pasta until 1 minute less than al dente. Make sure to save 2 cups of pasta water.
Add the wine and bring to a boil. Once the wine has reduced by half, add the corn stock. Pour the pan contents into a large measuring cup and use an immersion blender or use a countertop blender to puree the sauce. Pour the pureed corn back into the pan and return the whole cooked corn kernels as well. Cook over medium-low heat.
Add the pasta to the sauce and cook until just al dente. Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the grated parmesan. If the sauce is too thick, add some of the reserved pasta water, a few ounces at a time, until desired consistency is achieved.
Taste test and season with salt and pepper to taste. Tear the basil and mix into the pasta. Garnish with extra whole basil leaves and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Notes

Servings. Makes 4 large or 6 moderate-size servings.
Corn. 3 whole corn and 2 cups of frozen corn kernels are used for this recipe. You can use 6 whole corn to replace the frozen corn or 3 cups of frozen corn to replace the cobs. The advantage of using some cobs is to make the corn stock which adds to the sweetness of the dish. If needed, add a pinch of sugar or honey to increase the sweetness of frozen corn.
Pasta water. Always reserve extra pasta water just in case the pasta dries out while sitting and or waiting to serve.
Cheese. Pecorino Romano can be subbed for the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
Leftovers. Creamy corn pasta can be saved for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the microwave or on a stovetop over medium heat.

Nutrition

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