Orecchiette With Corn, Jalapeño, Feta and Basil

By Colu Henry

Published August 14, 2018

  • Linda Xiao for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(2,793)
Comments
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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

  • 1 pound orecchiette

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 jalapeño, finely chopped

  • 5 ears corn, shucked and kernels removed (about 3 ½ to 4 cups kernels)

  • Kosher salt

  • 8 ounces crumbled feta cheese

  • ½ cup torn basil leaves, plus more for serving

  • Flaky salt, for serving (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

113 grams carbs; 81 milligrams cholesterol; 791 calories; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 27 grams fat; 6 grams fiber; 760 milligrams sodium; 27 grams protein; 12 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
2,793 user ratings
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Comments

Hannah

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!

Claire

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

Sunset Patty

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.

Elizabeth Jennings

After reading the comments I reduced the amount of pasta, added a shallot, and it was still such a huge portion! Delicious though! The jalepeno got a little lost flavor wise so I might actually use a spicier pepper next time or add extra

Howard

Excellent, also works with GF spiral pasta.

Steve

Soooo good.

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