Summer Pasta with Charred Corn and Cherry Tomatoes

Just picked garden tomatoes, ears of corn and fresh basil shine in this simple summer pasta. Be sure to scrape the corn cobs with the back of a knife to extract every bit of the sweet corn liquid. It really amps up the corn flavor and creates a creamy texture when combined with the Parmesan cheese in the finished dish.

1 pound campanelle pasta

6 ears fresh corn

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 shallots, diced

2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Fresh basil leaves

Bring a large Soup Pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then strain pasta into a colander. Set pasta aside and wipe out pot.

Cut the corn kernels from the cobs, then use the back of the knife to scrape the cobs to extract the corn liquid. Set aside corn liquid. Place the clean Soup Pot back over medium-high heat and add the corn kernels. Cook until corn kernels begin to lightly char, stirring frequently.

Reduce heat to medium. Add olive oil, garlic, shallots, cherry tomatoes, and 1 teaspoon salt. Sauté until cherry tomatoes are just wilted and garlic is fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add the reserved corn liquid to the pot along with the cooked pasta. Add up to one cup of the reserved pasta water to loosen the mixture, stirring to create a creamy texture. Stir in 1 cup Parmesan cheese and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.