Creamy Corn Pasta with Bacon and Zucchini

Summer time produce is here! I can't stop buying corn and I have accumulated several pounds of zucchini.  Hooray for fresh produce!

Creamy Corn Pasta with Bacon and Zucchini

Adapted from NY Times

Ingredients

salt

1 lb dried pasta

4 slices bacon

2 cups zucchini, diced

1 tbsp olive oil

1 bunch scallions, sliced

2 ears of corn, shucked (2 cups kernels)

1/2 tsp pepper

3 tbsp butter

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup basil, torn

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil, cook pasta according to package directions, reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.

2. In a large skillet cook bacon until crisp, remove and drain on paper towels.  Cook zucchini in bacon fat until softened, remove from pan.  Add some oil, if needed, to cook scallion whites.  Add all but 1/4 cup of corn and 1/4 cup of water.  Simmer 3-5 minutes.  Add salt and pepper and transfer to a blender. Puree until smooth adding water to achieve desired consistency.

3. Add butter and reserved corn to the skillet. Cook 1-2 minutes.  Add corn puree and stir until combined and heated through.  

4. Add pasta to the skillet along with half of the reserved pasta water (adding more if it seems too thick). Stir in bacon, zucchini, green scallions, parmesan, basil, and red pepper flakes.

I know it sounds like a lot of steps, but this really is a simple meal.  Feel free to eliminate the bacon to make it vegetarian, it is definitely not an essential ingredient.