A-Maize-Ing

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by Hannah (BitterSweet)
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Put down the pumpkin spice latte. Step away from the Halloween decorations. Summer isn’t over yet, for crying out loud! The kids may be back in school, but the days are still bright and warm, full of the very same glorious produce we were enjoying mere days ago. Why rush into the next season while there’s still so much to enjoy in this one?

Case in point: fresh corn. There’s simply nothing else like it, and it can never compare when purchased off-peak. Now is the time to get your fill or hold your peace for another year. That means an ear of corn a day by my estimate, if not more. I simply can’t get enough of the stuff, crisp and sweet, straight off the cob with a light pinch of salt.

Fresh corn doesn’t stick around long though; what remains after the height of the season is but a shadow of its former glory. Watery, starchy, a waste of valuable stomach real estate, corn eaten any other time of year guarantees disappointment. As threats of the approaching seasonal shift grow louder, it’s simply not enough to enjoy a few bites a day. To really get a proper fix that will hold you for a full year, you can’t hold back.

That’s why my current favorite corn preparation not only involves tossing crisp kernels with supple strands of homemade pasta, but incorporates the very essence of corn right into the noodles themselves. That’s right; fresh corn pasta.

No more difficult to fabricate than any other dough, this unique formula incorporates both whole corn and cornmeal along with the standard wheat flour base, yielding a satisfying, toothsome structure with a genuinely flavorful soul. No one could ever accuse this noodle of being bland, even when eaten straight out the boiling water.

The best way to do justice to such a simple, pure product is to leave it alone. In essence: don’t screw up a good thing. Toss the cooked noodles with good olive oil or just the barest veil of pesto, along with a handful of fresh seasonal vegetables, and let it do the rest of the work. Such unique noodles are special enough to speak for themselves, much like superlative fresh corn does in the first place.

Anyone else out there still clinging to summer, or simply feel that the autumnal push is just a bit too aggressive? Pull up a chair and have a bowl of pasta with me. You’ll forget all about that nonsense after one bite.

Yield: Makes 2 – 4 Servings

Fresh Corn Pasta

Fresh Corn Pasta

Homemade pasta infused with the golden goodness of fresh corn is a perfect bite of summer. Don't miss your opportunity at the height of the harvest season!

Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes
Additional Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 28 minutes

Ingredients

Fresh Corn Pasta:

  • 1/2 Cup Corn Kernels, Canned and Drained, or Frozen and Thawed
  • 1/2 Cup Aquafaba
  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 Cup Finely Ground Yellow Cornmeal

To Serve:

  • Pesto
  • Fresh Corn Kernels
  • Cherry Tomatoes, Halved

Instructions

  1. To make the pasta, place the corn kernels, aquafaba, oil, and salt in your food processor. Puree, pausing to scrape down the sides of the container as needed, until completely smooth. Add in the flour and cornmeal and pulse to incorporate. It shouldn’t take long before the mixture turns into a cohesive dough. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, press it into a ball, and cover it loosely with a clean towel.
  2. Let rest for 10 minutes to allow the gluten to relax before proceeding.
    Divide dough in half, covering one of the portions once more with the towel. Focusing your attention on the other half, knead it lightly until smooth and press it into the rough shape of a rectangle. Break out the rolling pin and roll it out to about 1/8th – 1/16th of an inch in thickness.
  3. Lightly flour the entire length before rolling it loosely and gently to make a short scroll to can be cut in one stroke. Use a very sharp knife to slice the noodles to your desired thickness; about 1/4-inch for fettuccine or 1/8-inch for linguine. Toss the noodles with additional flour to keep the strands separate.
  4. Hang the fresh pasta on drying rack (in a pinch, I’ve used metal coat hangers) for at least two hours to dry. Repeat with remaining half of the dough.
    If preparing the pasta well advance, allow it to dry completely, about 8 – 10 hours depending on the humidity in your kitchen, before storing it an airtight container or zip top plastic bag.
  5. To cook, bring approximately 4 quarts water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for just 2 – 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until firm but tender. Drain but do not rinse.
  6. Immediately toss with pesto and fresh vegetables and enjoy!

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 437Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 615mgCarbohydrates: 70gFiber: 4gSugar: 3gProtein: 11g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.

© Hannah Kaminsky
Cuisine: American / Category: Main Dishes and Entrees

 

15 thoughts on “A-Maize-Ing”

  2. A new one for me, Hannah. My boss at work has been told to avoid grains (because of mold in silos and then spraying for that), eggs, diary, and more. I had planned to make her gluten-free pasta, but I think it’s now become an impossibility, as rice and corn were mentioned in grains. Ah, well.

    janet

  5. I’ll have to take your word for it that the corn pasta is delicious — and I believe you 100%! But I know for a fact that corn on the cob is for eating now, at summer’s glorious finale. In fact, I think I should run to the farmers market and get a few ears right now!

  8. Sheer brilliance Ms Hannah. I can’t grow corn for toffeenuts BUT if I get hold of some, you can be sure I am going to make this come the growing season :)

  12. Now that I have fresh corn on the cob from my garden.. what another brilliant way of using.. Lovely recipe Hannah.. thank you for the share.. Love and Blessings your way dear friend xxx

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