garden herb corn and brown butter carbonara
Hitting you with an ultra fast pasta dish to tide you over the hump today.
Before someone jumps me in a dark alley, I know carbonara isn’t traditionally served with rigatoni, and I know pancetta is the name of the game with the dish. But, as with my ramen carbonara and rosemary mushroom carbonara, some rules are meant to be bent. I felt like rigatoni, so rigatoni I used. And I don’t eat meat. So there.
This week my work hours are long and hearty and I needed some fast dishes to feed us for several days. Carbonara is one of the simplest, loveliest pastas you can make. It takes little time and packs a whole lot of satiating cheesy flavor, as well as an irresistible silken texture. I’ll never turn away the opportunity to whip it up on a hungry evening.
Carb(onara)s For Days
Aside from mixing the carbonara sauce in a bowl, this entire dish is made in one bigass pot. Few dishes to worry about after the meal? Hoorah.
I typically start up the pasta water first so it’s at a nice healthy boil by the time everything’s chopped and stirred. While that readies, I whisk together the carbonara sauce – just eggs, parmesan, and a load of whatever fresh herbs you have lying around. I love basil, dill, and parsley for this particular formula.
Boil off the pasta. Just before draining, scoop out some of the water.
A Corny Joke
Sadly, I don’t have one here. My wit is fried along with the rest of my brain after a long day dealing with human beings. *Shudders*
Turn the heat down on the burner you used to cook the pasta. To the same pan, add butter and cook until browned, then stir in some corn. You can use fresh, frozen, or canned. The latter duo might not get as nice a char as the former, but they should receive a light golden tinge at the very least. Let it stew in the browned butter for a few minutes, then stir in some garlic and lemon zest.
Throw the noodles back into the pan and toss very quickly with the egg mixture. Scrambled eggs aren’t cute in your pasta. Thin with the reserved pasta water as needed until creamy. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.
To serve, add some extra parmesan and basil to each bowl. A good grilled chicken or white fish would be super as a protein component. Or, if you’re feeling extra corny, a big summery salad with shrimp. Break open some pinot noir, too. You deserve it. Maybe. Hopefully.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
garden herb corn and brown butter carbonara
Ingredients
- 1 lb your favorite pasta (see note)
- 3/4 cup mixed fresh herbs (basil, parsley, dill, etc)
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
- 4 tbsp butter
- 2 cups corn, fresh or frozen
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- fresh basil and additional parmesan for serving
Instructions
- Whisk together the herbs, eggs, and parmesan until creamy.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.
- Turn the burner down to medium. In the same pot as the pasta cooked in, melt the butter until fragrant and golden, about 2-3 minutes. Toss in the corn and cook for 3-5 minutes until golden in spots. Stir in the garlic and lemon zest for an additional minute.
- Add the pasta back into the hot pot. Very quickly toss the egg mixture in with the pasta until thoroughly coated, adding pasta water as needed if the sauce thickens too much. Taste for salt and pepper.
- Divide pasta into bowls and garnish with fresh basil and additional parmesan, as desired. Serve immediately.
