Creamy Corn Pasta with Basil and Summer Squash
The ultimate summer pasta dish featuring sweet corn and summer squash. Easy to make and absolutely delicious for weeknight comfort food.
Equipment
- 1 high-performance blender or immersion blender
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried pasta of choice
- 3 ears fresh corn kernels removed and cobs reserved for pasta water
- 6 basil stems
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup finely diced onion
- 1 large yellow summer squash ends trimmed and finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan
- ½ cup ricotta
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves from approximately 6 basil stems
- Lemon zest
Instructions
- Bring pot of salted water to boil with the corn cobs and basil stems. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove cobs and basil stems. Strain pasta into a separate mixing bowl, but reserve 1 cup of the corn-basil infused pasta water for sauce. Set aside.
- In a large, high-sided saute pan heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until onion begins to soften and become translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, crushed pepper flakes, corn, and squash. Cook until the corn and squash begin to caramelize, about 10 minutes.
- Add corn-basil infused pasta water and ricotta. Stir to combine and bring to simmer. Using immersion blender, carefully blend sauce until smooth. Add in parmesan in batches to help cheese melt. Alternatively, add sauteed veggies to the base of a high-powered blender then add the pasta water and ricotta. Blend on high until smooth. Pour sauce back into saute pan and add parmesan cheese to melt. Stir in lemon zest.
- Add in the cooked pasta and stir to coat pasta in sauce. Garnish with more grated parmesan and fresh basil. Serve.
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