Corn and Pasta – A Surprising Match Made in Heaven

I have to confess…I am not a big fan of Sweet Corn. Please don’t judge me, my friends! Every summer, when the first crop of local sweet corn shows up at the markets, you’ll likely see mobs of people standing in line, buying bags and bags of corn.

Confession…not me! I buy two or three ears. No kidding! My husband on the other hand, loves it! In fact, most Minnesotans love it…but I have to be honest—I’m just not that big a fan of corn on the cob.

However, every year, both my husband and I eagerly anticipate the first crop of corn because this recipe is amazing! I never in my wildest dreams would have thought to put corn with pasta! Why would I? Neither are my favorites, and pasta is Italian while corn is American. Putting the two together probably isn’t a good idea for authentic Italian cuisine. Good thing I don’t care!

Besides, Judy Rogers, author of The Zuni Cafe Cookbook, convinced me otherwise! Now I make this pasta dish in one form or another several times in June when corn is at its finest—young, juicy, and sweet.

Since it’s sweet corn season here in Minnesota, this is the perfect time to make this recipe. Go grab some fresh, young sweet corn—the first picking of corn is usually the juiciest. I encourage you to try this! I was at the market today, and there’s still fresh sweet corn, so you have no excuse…make this!

Choosing the Right Corn: When purchasing corn, do your best to look for young ears with small kernels. You’ll get less corn per cob, but the quality will more than make up for it, I promise. Fat, full kernels tend to be tougher, dry, and starchy. TIP: Use more butter if your corn seems a bit drier. But what’s wrong with more butter, right? Trust me on this one—do not use olive oil; the flavor will be disappointing.

I’ve used coconut ghee, which is a healthier option, so if you’re concerned about the amount of butter, try my secret…coconut ghee! Either way, butter, ghee, or coconut ghee are way better choices here versus olive oil.

Don’t Forget the Fresh Sage: I love fresh sage—dried, not so much. There is such a difference, so no substitutions here, please. I decided to use some good-quality pancetta this time around, which is what I love about this recipe. You can switch it up each time you make it. I can’t say one is better than the other, but I’m open to hearing your opinion. My favorite version happens to be the one I’m making. Seriously, they’re all good!

Fresh Corn with Pancetta and Fresh Sage Most often, I add Parmigiano-Reggiano, but it’s just as delicious without. You can also add a little cream at the end or use prosciutto in lieu of the pancetta, but most often, I leave the meat out. Add a handful of fresh sweet peas for color for another delicious variation. We love it with sweet beans, which adds more protein. You be the judge…recipe adapted from The Zuni Cafe Cookbook.

Pasta with Fresh Corn

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups freshly scraped corn kernels & their milky juices (about 6 small ears)
• Up to a half pound of butter (or 2 sticks) or use coconut ghee like I did
• 2 to 3 oz pancetta, cubed (optional)
• 6 sage leaves, coarsely chopped (I love sage so I used lots more)
• 1/2 onion chopped
• 1 lb. fresh egg pasta, preferably linguine (I used brown rice pasta)
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tbsp Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions:

1. Using a knife, slice the corn kernels off of the ear into a bowl. Then, run the back of the knife at a 45-degree angle to the ear to force out all the starchy liquid. Combine the liquid and the corn.
2. Boil water for the pasta and cook until slightly underdone. Reserve pasta water.
3. Cook the pancetta with the onion in a few tablespoons of the butter or ghee over medium heat. Be sure to stir and scrape to cook evenly. When pancetta has browned slightly on the edges, turn off the heat and add a few drops of water to cool the pan.
4. Stir in the minced garlic, more butter, sage, and freshly ground black pepper. Swirl the pan and leave the aromatics to infuse in the melting butter for several minutes.
5. Add 6 tablespoons of butter and turn the heat back to medium. When the butter is melted, add the corn and its liquid. Cook until warmed through and the liquid in the pan thickens slightly. (add optional peas or sweet beans if you’d like) Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Add the cooked pasta to the corn mixture and toss. Finish cooking the pasta with the corn. Add a touch of cream and some pasta water to reach your desired consistency.
7. Off heat, add Parmesan cheese and re-taste for seasoning.