Total Steps
4
Ingredients
12
Tools Needed
7
Ingredients
- 6 slice bacon
- 4 cup corn, fresh cut from about 6 ears
- 4 cloves garlic, minced, evenly divided
- 1 1/4 teaspoon sea or coarse kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, fresh grated
- 1/3 cup walnuts or pine nuts, toasted
- 7/12 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 10 ounce linguine (like Barila whole grain)
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 2 medium zucchini, cut in ribbons
Instructions
Step 1
Cook bacon in a large skillet until crispy and brown, then set aside on paper towels to drain. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of grease from the skillet. Over medium-low heat, add corn, garlic, salt, and pepper; sauté until corn is tender but not browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer 1 1/2 cups corn to a small bowl and set aside. Add the remaining corn to the bowl of a food processor along with Parmesan, pine nuts, and 1/3 cup basil. With the machine running, add olive oil through the feed tube and blend until the pesto is almost smooth, then set aside.
Step 2
Start cooking the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, reserving 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water. Meanwhile, in the same skillet, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat, then add garlic and zucchini ribbons. Sauté for about 5 minutes, just until the zucchini starts to break down and becomes tender.
Step 3
Drain pasta and return to the pot. Add half of the corn pesto and corn kernels, tossing over low heat until warmed through. Add reserved pasta water by 1/4 cupfuls and additional corn pesto if needed until you get a smooth, thin consistency and all the noodles are coated evenly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Step 4
Sprinkle 1/4 cup basil leaves over top and serve with a sprinkle of bacon crumbles and Parmesan cheese.