Scallion & Sweet Corn Pasta
With slightly spicy breadcrumbs and lots of parmigianno reggiano
With slightly spicy breadcrumbs and lots of parmigianno reggiano
One afternoon in Hawaii this summer, I had a spicy corn chowder, which may seem like a strange thing to consume when it’s 85°F and full humidity. Fortunately for me, I was in an air-conditioned restaurant and it sounded interesting to try—it was honestly amazing and made me think about how little I integrate corn into my cooking, so I dreamt this up and I’m very glad I did. Serves four and takes about 40 minutes.
Ingredients:
For the scallion oil
3 scallions, thinly sliced, white + light green parts separated from dark green parts
1 small shallot thinly sliced into rings
6 Tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the pasta
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 lb thick 1-2” noodles like rigatoni or cavatelli
1 cup freshly grated parmigianno reggiano
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the breadcrumbs
1/4-1/2 loaf of crusty bread like country bread, or buttermilk loaf (I used buttermilk loaf) sliced into 1 inch cubes
8 Tbsp olive oil
Pinch of kosher salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
For the corn
6 Tbsp olive oil
3 heads sweet corn or 1 can sweet whole kernel corn, drained
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For serving
Flaky salt
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
2-3 Tbsp Créme Fraiche or sour cream (per serving)
More freshly grated parmigianno reggiano
1-2 Tbsp thinly sliced (on the bias) dark green scallions
Directions:
Add 6 Tbsp. olive oil into a large nonstick saucepan over medium heat, let warm through for 8 min.
Remove the corn kernels from the heads of corn: place the corn upright on a plate and slice down with a sharp knife along each “side” to collect all of the kernels. If you’re using canned corn, drain in a colander and set aside.
Place a large pot of generously salted water over high heat.
Add the shallot rings into the saucepan, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then add the white and light green scallions into the pan, let them sizzle for 3 mins. until some of the edges begin to crisp up.
Remove scallions and shallots but leave the oil, (it’s fine if you leave a few bits in the pan that are too small to easily remove) and add another few Tbsp of olive oil if needed to fully coat the bottom of the pan. Let the oil warm through for 2 mins, then add the breadcrumbs to the pan and toss to coat in the oil.
Let them sizzle for 2 mins, then add 2 Tbsp dark green scallions and 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, toss again, and let sit for 4 mins. Toss again, leave alone for 2-5 more mins, then take a piece out to taste: it should be crispy but still have some bounce and be very pleasant to chew. Remove the breadcrumbs from the pan and set aside to cool.
Boil the rigatoni according to package instructions, mine took 8 minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water prior to draining.
To the saucepan, add 6 more Tbsp. of olive oil over medium-high heat, once warmed through (4 mins) add the corn, a pinch of kosher salt, several twists of freshly ground black pepper, and about 1 Tbsp dark green scallions, stirring around the pan every couple mins, 8 mins total. Remove from heat.
Add drained pasta to the saucepan with the corn, then add the 1 cup of grated parmigianno reggiano, 1 Tbsp creme fraiche, the reserved pasta water, the sizzled shallots and scallions, a pinch of kosher salt, several twists of freshly ground black pepper, and toss very well to combine.
To serve, divide amongst four bowls and add a generous dollop of créme fraiche to each, followed by the breadcrumbs, a pinch of flaky salt, more red pepper flakes, another little showering of cheese, and a few bits of scallion. Give it a good mix in your bowl to get the créme fraiche all over each bite. Enjoy!