WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: In this ingenious summer recipe, corn serves as the base for a simple, creamy pasta sauce that comes together in a flash. We started by bringing corn and milk to a simmer before blending the mixture to a smooth puree. Corn kernels naturally contain cornstarch, which thickens into a pasta-coating sauce if heated above 150 degrees. Heating also intensifies the characteristic aroma of corn, which is largely due to a compound that is also prominent in the aroma of milk. That means that our puree tasted more like corn, and it also tasted more like milk. Simmering our pasta in this sauce further thickened the sauce to a velvety consistency while ensuring a perfect al dente texture for the pasta. We even added a touch of red pepper flakes for a subtle kick. Finished with dollops of creamy ricotta and fresh basil, this is a satisfying dish that’s great any day of the week. You can substitute 18 ounces frozen corn for fresh. You can also use spaghetti in place of bucatini.
SERVES: 4 to 6
TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 ears corn, kernels cut from cobs (about 4 cups)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 pound bucatini
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 6 ounces (¾ cup) whole-milk ricotta
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Bring corn and milk to simmer in 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Carefully transfer corn and milk to blender and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Process until smooth, about 3 minutes, scraping down sides of blender jar as needed. Strain corn mixture through fine-mesh strainer into now-empty skillet, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible.
- Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until pasta is flexible but still firm, about 5 minutes. Reserve 2 cups cooking water, then drain pasta.
- Stir pasta, 1½ cups reserved cooking water, ¼ teaspoon salt, and pepper flakes into corn mixture in skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until pasta is al dente and well coated with sauce, 2 to 4 minutes. Adjust consistency with remaining reserved cooking water. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer pasta to serving dish, dollop with ricotta, and sprinkle with basil. Serve.
