I seriously can’t believe it’s September 1st today. Where did the summer go!? I am already looking forward to cozy sweaters and warm cups of coffee. But, I am not really ready to move on to pumpkin and Halloween like the stores are insisting upon. My daughter started her first day of first grade today, and my son started his first day of his last year of pre-school. OMG! They are are growing up way too quickly. But, I must say, I secretly did a little mental dance in my head after my daughter got on the bus. Isn’t that horrible? Maybe a little selfish, but I always look forward to the times I get just with baby. The house is actually quiet for more than 30 seconds when it’s just her and I at home… Our tomatoes are just now turning ripe. I must say, I am pretty excited. I was so afraid, that after the deer snipped a lot of the tips, that the tomatoes weren’t going to produce. Alas, they look pretty happy still! Now that I have several different kinds of vegetables ripe in the garden, I am trying to take advantage of them to their fullest. That means, lots of vegetable dishes. Especially since I seem to have monstrous zucchini every time I go out the garden. I am serious. I swear they magically grow between the morning and the evening, because I go out there usually twice a day. Moving on.
This pasta dish is the perfect way to enjoy fresh, in season vegetables. Pasta and vegetables are my favorite combination. Oh, and cheese! That is very important. So is bacon. I mean really, you can’t go wrong with chopped bacon with pasta. Chop up some fresh herbs, and you have yourself a quick and easy meal. But definitely not lacking in flavor. I can’t wait to make this again.
Recipe adapted from Pasta Revolution by America’s Test Kitchen
Farfalle with Bacon, Toasted Corn, and Tomatoes
The ultimate summer pasta dish with fresh, sweet corn, bacon, and juicy tomatoes. With a sprinkling of basil and Parmesan cheese, this is will make your soul happy.
Ingredients
- 8 slices of bacon, chopped
- 5 ears corn, husked and kernels cut from cobs
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1 pound farfalle
- 1 cup grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat, discard the rest. Add the corn to the skillet with the reserved fat, as well as 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir well and cook until spotty brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cook until slightly softened, 3-5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the pasta and 1 tablespoon salt. Cook until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add the bacon, corn mixture, grated Parmesan, and basil. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add reserved cooking water as needed to adjust consistency. Serve immediately with extra grated Parmesan.
