Just a reminder that IT’S SUMMER!!! Today is kind of a gloomy day but we really are in prime produce/weather time and I just love it. One part of my life that I think people neglect in the summer is carbs. Now I’m not saying you need to make hearty lasagna or chicken stew and biscuits. I’m saying summer produce + pasta = best friends. Por ejemplo:

Tagliatelle with Fresh Corn, Cherry Tomatoes and Basil (Inspired by Anne Burrell)

You’ll need (I made this for a girls night meal and I clearly overdid it because this is essentially what I ate the rest of the week- so maybe make a third of this amount if cooking for a few normal people):

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
9 cloves Garlic, smashed
Red Pepper to taste
2-3 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
4.5 cups vegetable stock
6 ears corn, kernels cut off the cob
2 cups grated parmigiana
20 basil leaves
1.5 pounds of tagliatelle- this needs to be good- either fresh or the kind you get in the store that looks more like an egg noodle and cooks up quickly
Salt/Pep

Get some salted water boiling in a large pot.

Coat a large sauté pan with olive oil and add the garlic and red pepper (I was aggressive with the red pep and wish I had added even more). Cook over medium-medium high heat until the garlic is ever-so-slightly browned. Watch this happen -don’t walk away… the smaller cloves will cook up more quickly. Once the garlic has browned remove it and discard.

Add the tomatoes and 2.25ish cups of the veggie stock. Season with salt and simmer over lowish heat until the tomatoes are wilted and their juice is becoming friends with the garlicky olive oil.
Add the corn and remaining stock and simmer until the corn is cooked through (check by tasting).

Add the pasta to the pot of boiling water and barely cook through. I’m saying read how long the box says you should cook it for and cook it a minute or two less than that (it will cook in the stock which is partially why this pasta has so much flavor). Remove the pasta and add to the sauté pan (let some of the pasta water cling to the pasta as you transfer). Cook for a few minutes and add a little pasta water if it is too dry.

Toss in the parmigiana. Add the basil (sliced) but save a few leaves for garnish. Drizzle with a good extra-virgin finishing olive oil. Plate and top with more cheese and basil. I served this with Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts and Kale Caesar Salad. Okay and also some gazpacho….and a berry lemon tart… and lots of wine, cheese, crackers… I told you I overdid it.