This pasta is like Aglio e Olio got all dressed up for summer vacation…
I’m a sucker for something sensationally simple: perfectly al dente Bucatini generously bathed in spicy, garlicky corn sautéed in butter and cherry tomatoes burst in a little olive oil.
I know … it’s still August and asking you to turn on your ovens, even if to experience the joy of burst cherry tomatoes, may be pushing it, so do the job in a hot sauté pan if need be.
Give the pasta a little time to soak up the delicious flavors of the sauce and serve this room temperature - it’s seriously delightful and perfect for the last of your summer picnics and BBQ’s. Just make sure the pasta is al dente because no one like Soggy-Noodle-Energy. Serve the burrata right on top, on the side, or forego it if you absolutely insist (dairy free friends, I respect your choices).
Spicy Burst Cherry Tomato Bucatini with Corn and Burrata
Serves 2-3
8 oz dry Perciatelli or Bucatini
1 heaping cup cherry tomatoes, 212g
3 crushed garlic cloves
1/2 tsp kosher salt
3-4 Tbsp EVOO
Freshly ground black pepper
1 corn cob, 1 cup of corn kernels, 120g
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp butter
1/8-1/4 cup of thinly sliced hot red chilis
1/4 tsp kosher salt
OPTIONAL: fresh basil
Preheat your oven to 375F. If you plan to burst your cherry tomatoes in a hot sauté pan, skip this.
Start by crushing three garlic cloves. Rinse your cherry tomatoes and place in a small baking dish (a sheet pan with high sides works, too). To the cherry tomatoes add your crushed garlic cloves, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 3-4 Tbsp EVOO and a few cranks of freshly ground black pepper. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until cherry tomatoes have burst.
Start a large pot with 2.5 Qt of water to boil, adding 2 Tbsp of salt so that water tastes noticeably salty. Cook Bucatini or Perciatelli until just al dente.
In the meantime, prepare the corn: remove the husk and silk from your ear of corn and cut in half. Stand each half up on it’s flat, cut side, and using a sharp knife, remove the kernels from the ear. Thinly slice 3 garlic cloves and 1/8-1/4 cup of hot red chilis (depending how much heat you like and how hot your pepper is).
In a small sauté pan, place 1 Tbsp butter over med-high heat, occasionally swirling, until butter is very fragrant but not browning - 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and chili, allowing to cook for a minute or two, making sure not to burn the garlic. Add the corn and sauté, 5 or so mins, until corn is tender but maintains some bite. Add 1/4 tsp salt, stir and then remove from the heat.
Combine the cooked corn with the cherry tomatoes and mix. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Strain the cooked pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Let the noodles cool a minute or two before adding the mixture of burst cherry tomatoes and sautéed corn to the pasta. If it needs a little more “sauce”, add the pasta water and stir vigorously to combine. Serve room temperature, with a creamy ball of burrata on top, on the side or forego the burrata if cheese ain’t your thing! Hollow noodles aren’t slurp-able, but they’re so fun to eat.