If you ask me, the best thing about summer is all of the fresh produce. Our local Farmer’s Markets right now are just spilling over with the most beautiful berries, juicy melons, snappy green beans, and crisp lettuces. You name it and we will almost always have the most amazing produce you can imagine right there at our fingertips. Sweet corn and juicy tomatoes are at their best in the summer and are just begging to be partnered together. I realize living in California has completely spoiled me when it comes to fresh fruit and vegetables, so let’s embrace this “Meatless Monday” with an easy recipe full of fresh ingredients before autumn rears her head again.
Ingredients
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- 1 ear of corn, shucked
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 10 ounces grape tomatoes, whole
- 1 Teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ½ package of dried fettuccine (approximately 8-10 ounces)
- ½ cup chicken broth/stock
- 5 green onions, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese, plus additional for serving
- Small handful of torn basil for serving
- Optional – fresh burrata cheese
Instructions
Generously salt a large pot of cold water and place the whole rosemary sprig inside the pot. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil over high heat on your stovetop. (You will remove the rosemary later, but this will very subtly infuse the water with a light hint of the herb.)
If you want to be as efficient as possible with your time, start prepping your veggies as you wait for the water to boil. For example: shuck the corn and set aside, discarding the silk and outer leaves. Make sure to get as much of the silk of the corn as possible. Mince your garlic if not using the jarred, pre-chopped up variety. (Confession: I used Christopher Ranch minced garlic for this recipe in order to save on prep-time and the flavor was perfectly fine. Normally I advocate for fresh, but I won’t judge if you use the jarred stuff!) Chop your green onions and coarsely chop the spinach. You can also grate the parmesan at this time. Set everything aside for later use.
After the water is boiling, remove the sprig of rosemary with tongs and discard. Then carefully drop the ear of corn into the water. Allow the corn to boil approximately 3-5 minutes and then remove from the water using tongs (do not pour out the water!). Set the corn aside to cool. Maintain the water at a boil because we will be using this to cook the pasta later.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat and melt the 3 tablespoons of butter. Add the grape tomatoes to the skillet and season with a dash of salt and pepper. Cook the tomatoes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften (approximately 5 minutes). It’s OK if a few of them burst open toward the end. Add the garlic and chopped spinach and sauté another minute. Pour in the white wine and simmer approximately 5 minutes. This will allow the wine to reduce down and further soften the tomatoes.
After you pour the wine into the skillet, it’s time to attend to the boiling pot of water you left on the burner. Add your dried fettuccine and cook to al dente according to the package instructions. (My package said 10-12 minutes.) Stir occasionally to keep the pasta from sticking to itself.
While the wine is simmering and the pasta is boiling, your corn should be cool enough to handle. Cut the corn kernels off the cobb using a sharp knife and discard the cobb. Add the corn kernels to the tomato and wine mixture in the skillet and then pour in the chicken broth. Bring everything to a simmer.
When the pasta is al dente, reserve one cup of the cooking liquid and drain the pasta. Add the drained pasta, the grated parmesan, and the chopped green onions to the simmering skillet. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir and toss everything together using tongs or two wooden spoons to completely coat the pasta. If your mixture is too dry, add some of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce. If your sauce is too thin, turn up the heat on your burner to boil off some of the extra liquid until the sauce is at your desired consistency.
Divide the pasta and the veggies among 4 bowls. Top with additional grated parmesan cheese and hand torn basil. If you would like to add a creamy element, cut a ball of burrata in half or quarters and divide among the pasta bowls.
