Corn Cacio E Pepe

If you haven’t noticed in my recent recipes, I love adding corn to (almost) everything. It adds the perfect crunch and flavor to so many dishes! This cacio e pepe with corn is super simple and the depth of flavors will definitely surprise you! This recipe is perfect for the whole family and won’t take long to throw together.

Here’s what you’ll need:

16oz. preferred pasta

Kosher salt

3 cups corn kernels (from 3 large ears)

8oz. aged Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, finely grated. You’ll want some extra for serving, too!

2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente; add corn about 30 seconds before pasta is done cooking. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta and corn to the pot.

2. While pasta is cooking, toss 8 oz. cheese and 2 tsp. pepper in a medium bowl to combine. Add ⅓ cup cold water and use a fork to mash mixture into a thick paste (try to get it as smooth as possible). Still mashing, add more water a tablespoonful at a time until paste is about the consistency of cream cheese.

3. Add cheese mixture to pot with pasta and corn. Using a rubber spatula, toss pasta until coated (the cheese mixture will be too thick to form a sauce at this point). Tossing constantly, add reserved pasta cooking liquid a splash at a time until a glossy sauce forms (it should still be fairly thick).

4. Transfer pasta to a large bowl and top with more cheese and a few additional grinds of pepper.