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Cascatelli with Bacon, Corn, and Tomatoes

Cascatelli with Bacon, Corn, and Tomatoes

This dish is summer in a bowl. Salty, smoky bacon brings out the natural sweetness of fresh corn and tomatoes, with just enough mascarpone to make the dish a little decadent without feeling too heavy. 

INGREDIENTS

MAKES FOUR - SIX SERVING

  • 1 pound thick-cut bacon, cut into strips about 1/2 -3/4 inches wide
  • 1 pound Sfoglini Cascatelli by Sporkful
  • 2 large shallots, chopped
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
  • 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
  • 1 cup grated Pecorino cheese, plus more to serve
  • 1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
  • 2 cups sliced cherry tomatoes
  • Salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, to taste

      DIRECTIONS

      Cook the chopped bacon in batches in a large, deep skillet over medium heat until it’s just brown and crisp but not dried out or overcooked. Set on a paper towel-lined plate to dry. Remove all but 1/4 cup of bacon fat from the skillet and reserve for another use.

      Bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil and begin to cook the pasta. The pasta is only going to cook until it’s almost al dente and will finish cooking in the sauce. 

      Meanwhile, return the skillet to medium heat and add the shallots. Sauté until they’re soft, then add the garlic and cook just until the raw garlic smell is gone, about 1 minute. Add the corn and cook for 1 - 2 minutes more, stirring regularly. Reduce the heat to low and add the mascarpone, about 1 cup of the pasta water, and the pecorino to the skillet. Stir them in until just combined. Remove the skillet from the heat while the pasta cooks.

      Once the pasta is almost al dente, return the sauce skillet to low heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pasta directly from the water to the sauce. Gently stir the pasta in and let it simmer in the sauce until the sauce has thickened and coats the pasta. 

      Add the parsley, sliced tomatoes, and most of the bacon, reserving some for a topping. Gently stir everything together and taste. Add salt, pepper and/or red pepper flakes according to your taste.

      Transfer to a serving dish or individual bowls, topping with the remaining bacon and more pecorino.

      We love seeing your pasta creations! Share your pasta pics with us on social by tagging @sfoglini and using #sfoglini

      Chef's Note: This dish works best with fresh, in-season corn and tomatoes, but frozen corn and winter tomatoes (especially the mini San Marzanos) will work as well. If using fresh corn, use 4 cobs to get approximately the right amount of kernels. The water used to boil pasta is an excellent thickening agent and is frequently used to help finish sauces. In this recipe, it does that on top of helping the pasta finish cooking in the skillet with the rest of the ingredients. 

      Pasta Swaps: This recipe would also work well with Semolina Radiators, Vesuvio, or Whole Grain Reginetti.