Ingredients
- 4 bacon slices
- 1 (16-oz.) bag frozen shoepeg corn, thawed
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 -1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- 1/3 cup walnuts, toasted
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 12 ounces fresh pasta (tagliatelle or fettuccine)
- 3/4 cup coarsely torn fresh basil, divided use
Preparation
Step 1
1) Cut each bacon slice in half length-wise, then crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Cook in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp and brown, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat.
2) Add corn, garlic, salt and pepper to skillet, and saute until the corn is just tender, but not brown, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer 1 1/2 cups of the corn to a small bowl and reserve. Transfer remainder to bowl of a food processor. Add walnuts and Parmesan. With machine running, slowly add oil through the feed tube and blend until pesto is almost smooth. Set aside.
3) Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water until just tender, but still firm and not quite as done as you would want it. Drain pasta, reserving 1-1/2 cups pasta water. Return pasta to pot and add corn pesto, reserved corn kernels, and 1/2 cup basil leaves. Toss well and add pasta water 1/4 cup at a time until desired consistency is reached. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes, or until pasta is cooked through. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
4) Divide among serving bowls and sprinkle with additional herbs, cheese, and reserved bacon.
Yield: 4 servings.