I had this recipe bookmarked all summer and just never got around to making it. But fresh corn is still popping up my local stores so I grabbed some and we had this pasta dish just last night! And I’m sharing it with you the very next day because it was that delicious! My 4 year old cried this morning when she learned daddy finished the rest of the pasta last night and there wasn’t any left-over for her lunch. That girls LOVES pasta.

I love the combo of bacon and sweet corn. I’ve put it on pizza before and it’s amazing. Instead of milk or cream, this recipe uses some of the pasta cooking water (IMPORTANT: don’t forget to set some aside before you drain the pot) to create the sauce. The bacon is cooked first and then the corn is essentially fried in some of the bacon grease before being tossed with the pasta and cheese (I used both Parmesan and Romano), so the flavor is reminiscent of a carbonara. If you can, it’s worth getting your hands on some fresh basil and chives to top it off.

Bacon, Corn, and Parmesan Pasta

INGREDIENTS

8 oz. dried pasta (I used gemelli)
8 oz. bacon, diced
4 ears corn, shucked and kernels cut from cob
Salt and freshly ground black pepper and/or red pepper flakes, to taste
3-4 scallions, thinly sliced
2/3 cup finely grated parmesan (and/or Pecorino Romano) + extra for serving
Fistful of fresh basil and chives, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. If you’re hoping to pull this all off in one pan, cook your pasta in a large deep saute pan or pot according to package directions. If you want the pasta al dente, cook it 1-2 minutes less than directed. Reserve a cup or two of pasta cooking water and drain. Wipe pan dry if using for the next steps, otherwise, you can get started in a large frying pan.
2. Scatter bacon in pan over medium-high heat, no need to heat the pan first. Cook, stirring, until evenly browned and crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer bacon bits to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat from pan and add corn to it. Season corn with salt and pepper and cook, stirring for 1 to 2 minutes, until crisp-tender. Add pasta and a couple splashes of the cooking water and half the parmesan and toss, toss, toss the pasta with the corn, seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed and adding more cooking water if it doesn’t feel loose enough. Add scallions and other half of cheese and stir to warm. Stir in bacon and transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and additional cheese to taste. Dig in.

Serves 4-6.

(Adapted from Smitten Kitchen)