We are big fans of the late Judy Rodgers, even though we find some of the recipes in her fabulous Zuni Cafe Cookbook a bit confusing. However, Rodgers’ delicious “Pasta with Corn, Pancetta, Butter & Sage” isn’t one of them. We’ve enjoyed this simple-to-prepare dish many times. But, at this point of our summer season, we decided to vary it a bit. (This decision may have been influenced by our lack of sage plants, which drowned during our recent unseasonably heavy rains.) Instead of pancetta, we crisped up bits of Kentucky country ham, halved the butter and added some local peppers for a little heat. We tossed this with some of Steve’s fresh pasta, added some crusty bread and enjoyed ourselves immensely.
Even if you’re not fortunate enough to be in the Bluegrass at the moment, grab some fresh corn, some salty cured meat and a bit of butter and spice. It may not be Kentucky, but it will most likely be delicious over pasta.
(inspired by Judy Rodgers’ The Zuni Cafe Cookbook) Start pasta water on to boil. Using a sharp knife, scrape kernels from ears of corn into a bowl. Melt about 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet. Add ham and sauté, stirring, until it starts to sizzle. Add a few more tablespoons of butter, then peppers. Continue to sauté, stirring, until peppers are starting to color. Then add remaining butter. After butter is melted, add optional leeks and corn. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté, tossing with a spatula until corn is cooked through. Turn off heat. Cook pasta. When done, drain, reserving cooking water. Turn heat back on under skillet. Add cooked pasta and toss, adding up to a cup or more of pasta water until pasta and corn mixture are mixed. Plate and serve with Parmesan cheese, if desired. But it really isn’t necessary.PASTA WITH CORN, COUNTRY HAM, BUTTER & PEPPERS
Filed under: Cooking, Corn, Cured meats, Food, Pasta, Peppers, Pork, Recipes
