Why This Recipe Works

Corn’s natural starches make it ideal for turning into a creamy pasta sauce. To make pasta that features truly vibrant corn flavor, we start by blending 3 cups of fresh corn kernels with the pulpy “milk” we scrape from the cobs to yield a supersweet, bright-tasting puree and then add just butter (since butter and corn have the same flavor compound, dimethyl sulfide), salt, and nutritional yeast to amp the corn flavor and add a bit of savoriness. To the cooked pasta, we stir in grated Parmesan along with the puree, starchy pasta water, and some whole corn kernels for pops of sweetness. Adding the puree near the end of cooking preserves its freshness, and heating the puree for just a few minutes activates the corn’s natural starch so that it thickens into a creamy sauce. Instead of adding lots of other flavors into the sauce, which overwhelm the corn’s flavor, we add garnishes with complementary flavors and textures: crisp panko crumbs with garlic, red pepper flakes, and lemon zest along with fresh basil leaves and lemon wedges for squeezing directly on the pasta.

Before You Begin

Use the sweetest, freshest corn you can find. A large ear should yield 1 cup of kernels; if using smaller ears, buy at least six. You can substitute thawed, frozen corn; in lieu of the pulp, add ½ to ¾ cup water to help the corn blend to a thick puree in step 4. The garnishes are essential for balancing the sauce’s sweet, buttery flavor.

Instructions

for the bread crumbs

Combine 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 minced garlic clove, and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes in 10-inch skillet and heat over medium heat until shimmering. Add ½ cup panko and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Off heat, stir in 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, ⅛ teaspoon table salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Transfer to bowl to cool.

for the pasta

Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add 1 pound orecchiette and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1½ cups cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot.

Meanwhile, cut kernels from 4 to 6 ears corn to yield 4 cups (reserve any extra kernels for other use). Stand 1 corn cob on end on cutting board and firmly scrape downward with back of butter knife to remove any pulp remaining on cob. Repeat with remaining cobs. Transfer pulp to blender along with 3 cups corn kernels.

Process on low speed until thick puree forms, 30 to 60 seconds. Increase speed to high and continue to process until puree is very smooth, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down sides of blender jar as needed. Add 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces; 1½ teaspoons salt; and 4 teaspoons nutritional yeast and process until incorporated, about 15 seconds.

5. Add pureed corn mixture, ½ cup grated Parmesan, remaining 1 cup kernels, and ½ cup reserved cooking water to pasta and cook over low heat, stirring vigorously until pasta is coated in thickened sauce and kernels are warmed through, 2 to 4 minutes, adjusting consistency with remaining reserved cooking water as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, passing panko; ½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn; and lemon wedges separately.