Fire Roasted Corn Pasta
I spent a good portion of my childhood and youth living in the Midwest. I was born in Nebraska and my dad was stationed at Offutt AFB twice before I was old enough to attend high school. Like the University of Nebraska’s Mascot the Cornhusker implies…the Midwest is filled with corn fields as far as the eye can see.
But, it wasn’t until I moved to the Southwest where i discovered the tastiness of fire roasted corn. And how well it pairs in a variety of dishes. A few nights ago, my third oldest, YoYo, exclaimed that he only liked his corn fixed certain ways…creamy pasta dishes were not one of those ways. So being the mischievous parent i typically am, I decided to prove him wrong. I knew I wanted the smokey flavors of fire roasted corn and I knew, from years of experience, that if I added pasta and cheese in the mix, the boys would most likely love it.
Fire Roasted Corn Pasta
Equipment
- Cutting Board
- sharp chopping knife
- garlic press optional
- cheese shredder
- Large Frying Pan
- large pasta pot
Ingredients
- 14 oz pork kielbasa can substitute with chicken or other sausage
- 1½ cup bacon chopped
- 2 tbsp bacon grease
- ¾ cup shallot diced
- 4 large garlic cloves minced
- 1 lb medium pasta rigatoni, penne, ziti
- 20 oz frozen fire roasted corn thawed
- 1 cup half & half
- 1 cup fresh parmesan cheese shredded
Instructions
- Fill the pasta pot with water and set on a stove burner on high to boil. When the water boils, add a tablespoon of salt in and then the pasta. Cook until al dente according to the instructions on the pasta package.
- While waiting for the water to boil in the pasta pot, in the frying pan, render the bacon bits until cooked to desired doneness. Save 2 tablespoons of bacon grease and pour the rest, along with the bacon bits, onto a plate covered with paper towels. Set aside. Add the bacon grease back into the pan, along with the shallots, garlic, and kielbasa. Stir frequently while sauteing until the contents begin to brown.
- While the shallots, garlic, and kielbasa saute on medium low, in a food processor or blender add in half of the thawed corn, ¼ cup parmesan cheese, and ¼ cup half & half. Blend until pureed.
- Once the contents of the frying pan have begun to brown, add in the rest of the corn, the corn puree, bacon bits, and the rest of the half & half. Stir to combine. Set temperature to low to allow to simmer. If the sauce is too thick, add in pasta water ⅓ cup at a time until desired consistency. Add in the rest of the parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Once the pasta is al dente, add into the sauce. If the sauce as become too thick again, add in more pasta water.
- Let warm for another 3-4 minutes while stirring continually. Top with shredded basil if desired. Serve immediately. Store leftovers up to a week in the refrigerator.
Have you ever had fire roasted corn? Fire roasting it brings the natural sugars to the surface and makes sweet corn even sweeter. Not to mention the deep smokey flavor that adds a tasty layer for your tastebuds. Recently, I have found frozen fire roasted corn at most of my local grocery stores. If you cannot find it in your local store, you can easily roast your own corn on a grill, or take thawed out frozen sweet corn and saute it in a tbsp of butter until the kernels begin to brown. It isn’t exactly the same, but still adds a depth of flavor that regular sweet corn doesn’t achieve alone.
Hope y’all are having an amazing week. Stay safe, be kind, and hug your loved ones.
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