Spring

Squash Blossom Pasta with Fresh Corn

by:
November  5, 2013
4.4
7 Ratings
  • Serves 3-4
Author Notes

A while ago, I stumbled across Orangette's zucchini flower pasta, and immediately knew I had to make it. I tweaked the recipe a bit to suit my tastes, and the result is a fantastic summer pasta. The sauce is creamy but not heavy, and the corn adds lovely sweet bursts of juice and crunch. —ieatthepeach

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 10-12 squash blossoms
  • 1 ear fresh corn, shucked
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 large shallot, finely diced
  • Pinch of crushed red chile flakes
  • 6-8 threads of saffron
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 pound fresh pappardelle or other pasta of your choice
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions
  1. Gently tear the squash blossoms into strips, and discard the stamens and pistils inside. Cut the kernels off the ear of corn, and set them aside.
  2. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the shallots, red chili flake and a pinch of salt until the shallots are translucent. Add the squash blossom strips, corn kernels, and saffron, and stir gently to combine.
  3. Increase heat to medium-high. Add the white wine and let it simmer until it’s almost gone, stirring frequently throughout. Repeat this process with the broth, adding 1/2 cup at a time. When the sauce has reduced to a thin film at the bottom of the pan, turn off the heat.
  4. While the sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta until al dente. When the pasta is done, scoop out a scant 1/4 cup of the cooking water and set it aside before draining the pasta. Return the sauce to medium heat.
  5. In a medium-sized bowl, beat the egg lightly with a whisk. Add the hot pasta water to the egg, a little at a time, whisking furiously between each addition. The resulting mixture should be frothy and pale yellow.
  6. Add the tempered egg mixture to the skillet with the sauce, stirring vigorously to make sure it doesn’t scramble. Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss with the sauce, letting everything warm up for another 30 seconds or so.
  7. Stir in the parsley, thyme, and cheese, and turn off the heat. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
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