Orecchiette With Corn, Jalapeño, Feta and Basil

Name: Orecchiette With Corn, Jalapeño, Feta and Basil
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: italian
Ingredients: 1 pound orecchiette; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 jalapeño, finely chopped; 5 ears corn, shucked and kernels removed (about 3 1/2 to 4 cups kernels); Kosher salt; 8 ounces crumbled feta cheese; 1/2 cup torn basil leaves, plus more for serving; Flaky salt, for serving (optional)

By Colu Henry

Total Time: 30 minutes
Rating: 5(2,062)
Comments: Read comments

Sweet, peak season corn is at the heart of this flavorful and simple-to-make summer pasta. The jalapeño offers a pleasant kick, and the feta cheese tossed in at the end melts slightly, giving the sauce a silky texture. It’s worth seeking out orecchiette here, as it nicely catches the corn kernels, creating perfect bites. If you can’t find it, fusilli or farfalle would work in its place. Serve with a bright, simple salad alongside and fresh fruit for dessert.

Featured in: A Lively Weeknight Pasta for the Height of Corn Season

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

1pound orecchiette
4tablespoons unsalted butter
1jalapeño, finely chopped
5ears corn, shucked and kernels removed (about 3½ to 4 cups kernels)
Kosher salt
8ounces crumbled feta cheese
½cup torn basil leaves, plus more for serving
Flaky salt, for serving (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until it is just short of al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta cooking water.
Step 2
While pasta cooks, make the sauce: In a 12-inch skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add jalapeño, and cook until softened, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add corn, and cook until it begins to brown in spots, about 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt. Add ¼ cup of pasta water and bring to simmer and cook until reduced by half, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Step 3
Add pasta to skillet, tossing to coat with sauce. Add feta cheese and an additional ¼ cup of pasta water, tossing until pasta is slick and glossy with sauce. If needed, add in another ¼ cup pasta water. Stir in basil. Transfer to a large bowl and scatter with remaining basil. Season with flaky salt, if desired.

Ratings

5 out of 5

2,062 user ratings

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Comments

Sunset Patty6 years ago

Please add food values per serving - calories, carbos, salt, protein. It makes a difference for those of us who consider these values when trying new recipes.

Claire6 years ago

Added some sweet cherry tomatoes to help counterbalance the jalapeño kick.. divine.

Hannah6 years ago

SO good! Seriously, you want to make this: it's a celebration of sweet summer corn. But one big tip: Make half the amount of pasta. That's what we did, and the proportions were right-on. With double the amount — that is, what the recipe calls for — we wouldn't have been able to appreciate the corn/feta/jalapeño/herb mixture nearly as much. With that one change, it's a delight!

bee1 month ago

listened to other comments and cut it down to like 2/3 lb of pasta, other than that I didn’t change a thing and it was absolutely delicious and portioned well. next time I’ll probably double the jalapeño but otherwise it’s perfect. the only thing that could possibly improve this would be some crumbled cooked bacon throughout.

Nikki1 month ago

Did you mix it in while cooking or add clumps at the end? @Delaney S

ThatGirlAnna1 month ago

One of the best recipes I have made! Will make for my whole family during the summer

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