FUSILLI WITH CORN SAUCE

FUSILLI WITH CORN SAUCE image

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 9

Ingredients

1/4 tsp fine sea salt, plus more as needed
12 oz dried whole-wheat fusilli (may substitute farfalle or another curly pasta)
8 ears husk-on fresh corn
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
2 med yellow onions, chopped (3 cups)
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 oz grated pecorino Romano cheese (1/2 packed cup)
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, or more
1/2 C packed fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

Steps:

Bring large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add generous pinch of salt, then the pasta; cook according to the package directions, until al dente. Shuck the corn and rinse it under running water, removing as much of the silk as you can. Set box grater over a bowl and run four of the cobs across the coarse side of the grater. (You should have about 1 1/2 cups milk and pulp.) Use a knife to cut the kernels from the other cobs (see NOTE); keep the whole kernels (about 3 cups) separate from the milk and pulp. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and sweet, 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium and add the corn kernels. Cook, stirring, until the corn brightens and softens slightly, 2 minutes. Stir in the corn milk and pulp and turn off the heat. Cover to keep warm. Drain the pasta (reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water), and add it to the skillet with the corn sauce. Toss to combine, adding pasta water a little at a time if the sauce needs loosening. Stir in the cheese, salt and pepper; taste, and add salt and pepper as needed. Stir in the basil, divide the pasta among serving bowls, and serve hot. NOTE: To keep kernels from flying off the counter top, first cut the cobs in half crosswise. Then stand each half-cob cut end down before you use a knife to slice the kernels off one side, and repeat all the way around the cob.