Pasta with Corn, Tomatoes, Bacon, and Basil

Recipe adapted from Dinner a Love Story

Serves 4

Pasta with Corn, Tomatoes, Bacon, and Basil

• 16 oz pasta (I used cascatelli)

• 1 T olive oil

• 4 slices bacon

• 1 small onion, diced

• 3 c corn kernels (about 3 ears of corn, or use frozen)

• 2 c halved cherry tomatoes

• Pinch red pepper flakes

• Kosher salt and black pepper

• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or grated

• 1⁄2 c parmesan cheese

• 10 basil leaves, torn

• Kosher salt and black pepper

Cook bacon in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Remove to paper towels to drain, then crumble and set aside. Reserve bacon fat in the pan.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1⁄2 cup of cooking liquid. Stir a tablespoon of olive oil into the pasta to keep the strands from sticking together.

Remove corn kernels from ears into a bowl, if using fresh corn, or add frozen corn to a bowl. Halve tomatoes and add to the same bowl containing corn.

Add onion to the bacon fat and cook over medium heat until softened. Add tomatoes and corn. Seasoning with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Add garlic and stir to combine. Cook mixture over medium heat until tomatoes begin to soften and mixture becomes sauce-like, about 5 minutes.

Add the reserved crumbled bacon, cooked pasta, and parmesan cheese to the sauce. Stir to combine, adding some of the reserved pasta water to thin. Taste for seasoning. Top with basil.