This summer pasta recipe with zucchini, squash and corn is the perfect way to celebrate the season. Loaded with seasonal vegetables, fresh herbs and a delicious white wine lemon butter sauce, you’re going fall in love with this dish.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 8 ounces orecchiette pasta
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil - to drizzle over the cooked pasta
- ¼ – ½ cup pasta water
Sauce and Vegetables
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup shallots - diced small
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- ¼ cup dry white wine - such as sauvignon blanc
- zest - from 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice - fresh squeezed
- 1 medium zucchini - diced medium
- 1 medium yellow squash - diced medium
- 2 ears corn - about 1.5 cups, grill for extra flavor
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese - grated
- kosher salt - to taste
- cracked black pepper - to taste
- red pepper flakes - to taste
Toppings
- fresh basil - chiffonade, as desired
- fresh buffalo mozzarella - torn into pieces
- pine nuts - toasted
Instructions
Grill the Corn
- Remove the husks and corn silk from the corn cobs.
- Grill the corn over a barbecue grill, gas burners, or place under the broiler, turning frequently so any one side doesn't get too brown.
- Once the corn is tender and lightly charred, set aside to cool.
Boil the Pasta
- Boil a pot of water and lightly season it with kosher salt.
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions, reserve a couple of cups of pasta water for the sauce.
- Drain the remaining water using a colander.
Sauté the Vegetables
- Heat the oil in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium high heat.
- Add the shallots and sauté for 1-2 minutes until translucent.
- Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant.
- Add the zucchini and squash and sauté until lightly browned and tender, not mushy.
- Add the grilled corn kernels and season the dish with kosher salt and cracked black pepper.
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Make the Sauce
- Reduce the heat to medium and deglaze the pan with white wine.
- Let the wine reduce by half then add the lemon zest and juice.
- Let the lemon juice reduce a little, then add about 1/4 cup of pasta water.
- Add the cooked pasta back into the pan.
- Gently toss until the sauce begins to reduce.
- Add in the butter.
- Once the better has melted, add in the grated parmesan cheese and more pasta water if needed.
- Taste and season accordingly. Keep in mind that the pasta water was lightly seasoned with kosher salt, so be careful not to over season the dish.
- Finish with fresh basil chiffonade, fresh mozzarella, toasted pine nuts, extra parmesan, and a few turns of cracked black pepper or extra red pepper flakes.
- Serve hot and enjoy.