Corn, Bacon & Bean Summer Pasta

Posted on by llbalanced
Corn, Bacon & Bean Summer Pasta
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    [post_date] => 2020-06-22 09:32:15
    [post_date_gmt] => 2020-06-22 15:32:15
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    [post_title] => Corn, Bacon & Bean Summer Pasta
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06.22

Sometimes you want to celebrate the beauty and flavor of Summer produce, but you still want something hearty, something that will warm you from the inside out.

If that resonates right now, then this is the dish for you! My Corn, Bacon & Bean Summer Pasta is simple, so that the sweet bite of fresh corn and the brightness of basil shine through. Good-quality bacon and a little butter add just the right amount of richness. Saving some of your pasta water is absolutely key—even with a gluten-free pasta, this liquid can add a creaminess to the dish without any actual cream, lightening things up a bit!

Speaking of; if you love the sound of these ingredients combined but want to lighten it further, you could totally sub zucchini noodles for the pasta. I would use 3-4 medium-sized zucchini and shave or spiralize them. Then follow all instructions EXCEPT don't add the zucchini noodles until the very end, after you've removed the pan from the stove. The only caveat is they will release a lot of liquid, especially stored for a few days, so you might need to drain your servings before reheating.

Want to make this dish vegan? Simply substitute more avocado oil or olive oil (or vegan butter) for the butter and sub bacon for cherry tomatoes or try my friend Brittany's recipe for vegan Coconut Bacon!

 

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TOTAL TIME :15minutes40minutes
6-8servings
INGREDIENTS
  • 16 ounces bowtie / farfalle pasta (sub whatever noodles you prefer)
  • 1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil
  • 4 medium ears fresh corn (or 3 large)
  • 12 ounces uncooked bacon (approximately 9 slices)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt plus more to taste and more for boiling water
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 12 ounces frozen edamame (sub lima/butter/fava beans)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
  • 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more to taste
  • 0.5 ounces fresh basil
DIRECTIONS
  1. Cook pasta al dente according to package directions (approximately 1 ½ minutes less than lowest recommended time). I like to add 2 teaspoons salt to the pasta water. *Save 2 cups pasta water when you drain. Toss cooked pasta with avocado oil and set aside.
  2. Cook bacon: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and wrap a baking sheet with aluminum foil, pressing it tightly to the edges. (I like to do one piece lengthwise and two pieces crosswise). Place bacon slices on baking sheet. They might slightly overlap, but they will shrink as they cook. Bake for 20 minutes, then carefully drain excess grease into a heat-proof container to cool. Bake another 10-20 minutes, or until the bacon reaches your desired doneness. This will depend on the cut and brand. Allow to cool 10 minutes, or until you can handle with your fingers. I personally like to place the cooled slices between paper towels and press to remove excess grease. Crumble or use scissors to crumble/cut the bacon (I prefer the latter).
  3. While bacon is cooking, remove the husk and silks on your ears of corn. I like to wrap each ear in a dish towel and twist in opposite directions, over the sink, to get any excess silks off. Hold one ear upright in a medium-sized mixing bowl with your non-dominant hand. Using a sharp knife in your dominant hand and moving vertically, slice off kernels into the bowl. Repeat with remaining ears.
  4. Heat a large skillet to medium heat and add butter. When butter is melted and lightly bubbling, add garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds, until softened and fragrant. Add edamame, corn kernels, pasta, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper and 1 cup saved pasta water. Gently stir to incorporate and cook, stirring every minute or two, until no water remains at the bottom of the pan. Or if it seems too dry, add a little more pasta water. Remove skillet from the heat and fold in three-quarters of your crumbled bacon and ¾ cup parmesan cheese. Taste and add salt / pepper accordingly (I add ¼ teaspoon each MORE salt and pepper).
  5. Roughly chop basil and fold it into the pasta. Serve with remaining crumbled bacon and remaining parmesan (plus more to taste).
  6. Leftovers will keep tightly sealed in the fridge up to 4 days. To reheat, add to a saucepan with a splash of water and heat on medium, stirring, until warmed through.
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