zucchini, corn, and basil orecchiette with bacon

A super-yummy, super-simple, and super-fast recipe that showcases summer garden classics. Hardly gets better than that - ever! I get ridiculously excited every single time I can use my garden produce. To make pesto from my own basil (an achievement - my basil rarely does well) and to use some of my prolific zucchini is double excitement. I only wish I could grow corn. Ha - better move to Taber for that!

I used fresh Taber corn - we are really quite justifiably proud of Taber corn here in Southern Alberta - I would encourage using kernels cut freshly off the cob but if that doesn't fit your day, use what you have or can get. This is good. The corn is sweet, the zucchini mild, the Parmesan salty, and the pesto adds zest. Make your own pesto or use canned. It's a meal for a lazy evening. Enjoy the last of the summer :)

zucchini, corn, and basil pasta with bacon

(from Gourmet)

6 bacon slices, chopped

1 lb orecchiette pasta

3 ears corn, kernels cut from the cob

2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

basil pesto 

shaved Parmesan cheese

Cook the bacon in a heavy skillet, stirring constantly, until crisp. Drain on paper towels.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling well-salted water until al dente. At that point remove 1/4 cup of pasta water from the pot and set aside. Add the corn and zucchini to the cooking pasta. It will stop boiling - that's okay. Cook for two minutes from the time you add the veggies. Drain. 

Put the pot back on the hot burner, add the bacon, pesto, and pasta/corn/zucchini mix. Add as much of the pasta water as needed to smooth things out. Season with salt.

Serve with shaved Parmesan and lots of freshly ground pepper.

Basic Easy Pesto (or use a 6 oz jar of purchased pesto)

1 garlic clove, peeled

1/4 cup pine nuts

3 cups packed fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Chop the garlic, sprinkle with salt. Using the flat side of a knife blade crush the garlic and salt into a thick paste. Add the paste to a food processor along with pine nuts, basil, and 1 Tbsp of the oil. Pulse until finely chopped. While the machine is running add the remaining oil in a steady stream. Add Parmesan and pulse to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper.