BLT Pasta with Corn and Fresh Ricotta
- 4Servings
Ingredients
- Sea salt and pepper
- 1 pound long fusilli or egg tagliatelle pasta
- 2 tablespoons EVOO, plus more for drizzling
- 1/4 pound smoky bacon, sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
- 2 ears corn, kernels scraped from the cob
- 2 leeks--trimmed, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
- 1 fresno chile pepper, thinly sliced, with seeds
- 4 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 1/2 cups fresh ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup pecorino-romano cheese
- A handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- A small handful basil leaves, torn
Preparation
Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
While the pasta is working, in a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp. EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and render the fat. Add the corn and brown the kernels, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the leeks, chile, garlic and thyme; wilt the leeks for a minute or two. Add the tomatoes and cover the pan to slump them, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
In a bowl, mix the ricotta, pecorino-romano, parsley, a little salt, pepper and a drizzle of EVOO.
Add the pasta and reserved pasta water to the skillet; toss. Serve in shallow bowls with a scoop of the ricotta mixture for mixing in and the basil on top.
