Avocado Pasta

By Carolanne

Adapted from “Damn Delicious: 100 Easy, Super-Fast Recipes” by Chungah Rhee, this recipe is a revelation because it uses avocados instead of cream to make a rich sauce.

And for a pollinator party, it’s a quiz in the bowl about the different methods of pollination — and here are the answers: avocados and spices need pollinators, the yield of tomatoes is increased by native bees, corn is wind-pollinated and basil is self-pollinated.

Ingredients

• 12 ounces dried spaghetti
• 2 medium-size ripe avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup drained and rinsed canned corn

Preparation

Step 1

n a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package directions, and drain well.

Make avocado sauce: In bowl of a food processor, puree avocados, basil, garlic and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. With motor running, add olive oil in a slow stream until emulsified; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine pasta, avocado sauce, cherry tomatoes and corn. Serve immediately.