I knew this dish was going to win a lot of folks over. It's got such few ingredients, but packs in so much flavor. For favorites week, we're pairing it with our peach & corn salad. I want to make sure you get plenty of summer produce before it's too late!
Pasta, pennette
- 3/4 lbs
(or sub with other short pasta)
Oil, olive
- 1/4 cup
Cheese, parmesan
- 2 oz
, grated
Lemon
- 1/2
, juice of
Pine nuts
- 1/4 cup
Peach and Corn Salad:
Corn
- 2 ears
, kernels
Peaches
- 2
, sliced
Vinegar, balsamic
- 1 1/2 Tbsp
Maple syrup
- 1 tsp
Oil, olive
- 3 Tbsp
Mixed greens
- 1/4 lb
Almonds, sliced
- 1/4 cup
Cheese, cotija or feta
- for serving
Prep
Asparagus - Snap ends off and then chop into 2" (5 cm) long pieces. If spears are thick, slice in half lengthwise first and then chop into shorter pieces.
Corn - Shuck (remove outer leaves), shave off kernels and then microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, until tender. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
Cook pasta in heavily salted boiling water until it's al dente (tender but with a bite). Save 1 cup (236 ml) of cooking water before draining.
Heat up a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add in oil and then minced garlic to heated oil. Once you can smell the garlic, add in asparagus with a sprinkle of salt. Saute for 2 minutes.
Add in drained pasta and pasta water. Cook until the water has thickened into a sauce, ~3 more minutes. Turn off heat and add in parmesan cheese and juice from half a lemon. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish pasta with basil and pine nuts.
Whisk together balsamic, maple syrup, and oil. Season to taste with salt & pepper. For more vinaigrette ideas, check out this video.
Toss vinaigrette with greens, corn, and peaches. Top with almonds and desired amount of cheese. Enjoy with your summer pasta.