Sweet Corn Carbonara with Crispy Capers and Basil

Ingredients

• 12 oz spaghetti or linguine
• 4 ears fresh corn, husked (about 3 cups kernels total)
• 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 3 tbsp capers, packed in brine, patted very dry
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
• Flaky sea salt, to finish

Steps

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. It should taste like the sea. Cook pasta to al dente per package directions. Before draining, scoop out at least 1 1/2 cups pasta water and set it aside. You'll use it to build the sauce.

2. 2

   While the pasta cooks, cut the kernels off all four cobs. Stand each cob upright in a wide bowl to catch the mess. Transfer 2/3 of the kernels (about 2 cups) to a blender. Add 3/4 cup of hot pasta water. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 60 seconds. You want a glossy, pourable purée, not a chunky situation.

3. 3

   Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the capers, patted very dry so they do not spit, and let them sizzle undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes until they bloom open and turn crispy and golden. Transfer to a paper towel. They will look insane. That is the goal.

4. 4

   Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, the garlic, and the red pepper flakes. Cook until the garlic is pale golden, about 1 minute. It has roughly a 15-second window between done and bitter, so stay close.

5. 5

   Add the remaining fresh corn kernels to the skillet. Toss for 1 minute. Pour in the blended corn purée and 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer. The purée will deepen slightly in color and start to smell sweet and toasty.

6. 6

   Add the drained pasta directly to the skillet. Toss hard for 1 to 2 minutes. The corn purée should coat every strand the way egg yolk does in a real carbonara: glossy, clingy, and a little aggressive. Off heat, add the Parmesan and black pepper. Add more pasta water a splash at a time if the sauce seizes up. It should be fluid and shiny.

7. 7

   Divide among bowls. Top each with a generous scatter of crispy capers, torn basil, a pinch of flaky salt, and more Parmesan if that's where you're at. Eat immediately. The corn sauce is performing best right now, and in ten minutes it'll be a different conversation.