There’s something almost magical about corn at the peak of summer — sweet, snappy, and bursting with flavor straight off the cob — and this pasta puts it front and center. Butter-softened kernels form the base of a quick, no-fuss sauce, while a finely chopped jalapeño, or two, weaves in just enough heat to keep things interesting without overwhelming the corn’s natural sweetness.
Juicy halved cherry tomatoes add little bursts of acidity, and torn basil leaves brighten the whole dish with their fresh, herbaceous perfume. The real finishing touch is the feta*: tossed in while everything is still warm, it softens and melts just slightly at the edges, coating the pasta in a creamy, tangy sauce that never feels heavy.
*TIP: Choosing a block of feta stored in brine is generally better than buying pre-crumbled feta because it offers superior creaminess, freshness, and value and contains pure cheese and brine without extra additives. A just tastes so much better!
As for the pasta itself, it’s worth going out of your way for orecchiette. Its little cupped shape is practically designed to scoop up corn kernels and bits of feta, so every forkful lands perfectly balanced. That said, if orecchiette is hard to track down, fusilli or farfalle make fine stand-ins — their curves and folds do a similar (if slightly less charming) job of holding onto the sauce.
This is a summer weeknight dinner at its most effortless: everything comes together in the time it takes the pasta to boil, and there’s no oven required to heat up the kitchen. Round it out with a crisp, simple green salad and a bowl of ripe seasonal fruit for dessert, and you’ve got a meal that tastes like the season itself.
Our changes (noted below) to the original recipe included: cutting back on the pasta to a half pound, increasing the jalapeños to two, adding cherry tomatoes, and garnishing with freshly grated parmesan.
Orecchiette with Corn, Tomato, Jalapeño, Feta and Basil
Ingredients
- ½ pound orecchiette
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 jalapeños, finely chopped; more to taste
- 5 ears corn, shucked and kernels removed (about 3 ½ to 4 cups kernels)
- Kosher salt
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 8 ounces crumbled feta cheese
- ½ cup torn basil leaves, plus more for serving
- Flaky salt, for serving (optional)
- Grated fresh parmesan for garnish (optional)
Directions
- 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.
- 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.
- Add pasta to skillet, tossing to coat with sauce. Add halved tomatoes, crumbled feta cheese and an additional pasta water, a tablespoon at a time, 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 and garnish with grated parmesan, if desired.
Adapted from a recipe by Colu Henry for NYTimes Cooking
