Pasta with Roasted Corn Sauce

Golden kernels of sweet, roasted corn puréed with half and half are the beginnings to this luscious, creamy sauce. Then stir in sautéed onions, shallots, and a handful of prosciutto along with the peppery notes of Italian parsley. Finish by adding a scoop of rich mascarpone cheese and toss together with tender ribbons of pasta and red, ripe tomatoes. You’ll find summer in every bite!

Fresh corn is in abundance in the warm summer months and without a doubt it’s one of the best picks from the garden. If you’ve never made a sauce using corn, put this on your “to do” list. A simple roasting of fresh corn, still in their husks, delivers a natural sweetness that’s hard to resist. Purée with half and half and you’ve got the base to this unique summer sauce.

This dish is made starting with a base made from roasted fresh corn plus half and half puréed together. Then sweet onion, shallots, and prosciutto are sautéed in butter and olive oil. Toss in a peppery element compliments of Italian parsley and blend in a touch of mascarpone cheese creating an utterly divine sauce.

There are several steps to this dish, but you can break it up by roasting the corn, making the base and the sauce a day or two in advance.

Finish by tossing with hot pappardelle and ruby, red tomatoes, delivering an extra bite of summer.

It’s a delicious dish that makes the most of summer entertaining!

Pasta with Roasted Corn Sauce

6 ears of fresh corn, still in the husk

1 cup half and half

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1-½ cup chopped sweet onion, about 1 small onion

¼ cup chopped shallot, about 1 medium shallot

6 slices of prosciutto, sliced into pieces, about ½ cup

¼ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped, plus extra for garnish

½ cup mascarpone cheese

2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

¾ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

1 cup diced fresh tomatoes

8 to 10 cups chicken stock* or salted water

12 ounces pappardelle pasta, or your favorite

Parmesan cheese, for serving

*Cooking pasta in stock adds an additional layer of flavor to the dish.

To roast the corn:

Preheat the oven to 350-degrees. With kitchen shears or a sharp knife trim the “silk” off the end of the ears of the corn.

Wash the husks thoroughly. Place the ears of corn directly on the baking rack in the oven. Roast for 30 minutes. Allow to cool on a rack. As soon as the corn is cool enough to handle grab the top of the husks along with the silk, pulling down to remove.

To make the sauce:

Place the corn cobs flat on a sturdy cutting board. Using a sharp knife cut the corn from the cob. Finish by scraping the knife down the edges of the cob capturing any remaining pieces along with “milk” from the corn. You should have 5 cups of corn kernels.

Measure out 1 cup of the corn and set aside. Pour the half and half into a blender. Add the remaining 4 cups of corn and purée, starting on low then raising the speed to medium-high, for 1 to 2 minutes, blending until fairly smooth.

In a large pan or stockpot, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and shallot, sautéing until very tender, about 8 minutes.

Add the prosciutto and 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt, pepper and sauté for an additional 2 minutes.

Toss in the chopped parsley, the puréed corn, the remaining cup of corn kernel, and the mascarpone cheese, stirring to combine.

To finish the dish:

In a separate stockpot bring the chicken stock* and the remaining teaspoon of kosher to a boil. Add the pasta stirring frequently until just tender, about 8 minutes. Add more liquid if needed to just cover the pasta.

Using tongs or a slotted spoon transfer the pasta to a large bowl, reserving the cooking liquid. Pour in one cup of the cooking stock to the sauce to thin slightly.

Ladle the sauce over the pasta, tossing to coat. Add the chopped tomatoes and serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and a pinch or two of chopped parsley.

*If you cook the pasta in water, add about 2 tablespoons salt instead of the 1 teaspoon added to the stock.

Makes 6 servings.