Creamy Rotini with Sweet Corn and Sausage
Creamy Rotini with Sweet Corn and Sausage! Made with simple ingredients like in-season sweet corn, flavorful sausage and fresh basil. This dish is an easy weeknight meal that the whole family will love. It’s simple and quick and comes together in under 30 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 + people
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Barilla Rotini Pasta
- 6 Fresh Sweet Corn on the Cob, shucked and cooked (equivalent to 3 cups)
- 1 lb. Canino’s Mild Italian Sausage, cooked and drained
- 8 oz Bel Gioioso Mascarpone Cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup Reserved Pasta Water
- 1/2 cup Freshly Grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus additional for topping
- Fresh Basil, torn or julienned
- Himalayan Pink Salt, to taste
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Corn: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the corn for 8-10 minutes. Remove to a plate and let cool slightly.
- Sausage: Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook for about 8 minutes, breaking up the sausage into bite-size pieces with a wooden spoon. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
- Pasta: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the rotini pasta and cook 7-8 minutes or until al dente. Drain well, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
- Remove the corn kernels from the cob: Once the corn has cooled, you’ll need to remove it from the cob. Place a small bowl or cup upside down in a larger bowl. Slightly trim the end of each corn cob so there is a flat surface to work with. Place the flat side of the corn on top of the small bowl. Use a sharp knife to slice down the side of each corn cob.
- Put it together: To the large pot, add the corn, sausage, mascarpone cheese, pasta and 1/4 cup pasta water. Add the Parmigiano Reggiano directly over the hot pasta. Toss everything together until well combined. As the cheese coats all the ingredients, you may need to add 1/4 cup more of pasta water at a time to get the creamy texture you’re looking for. Just add a little bit at a time.
- Season and garnish: Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the basil and toss again.
- How to serve: Transfer the mixture to a large serving bowl, and serve with additional parmesan and basil if desired.
Notes
- Reserved Pasta Water: Don’t throw out all the pasta water! Reserve some to help enhance your pasta sauce. The salty, starchy water makes a great thickener for sauces, and it lends to a creamier result.
- Parmesan: Make sure to grate the cheese directly over the pasta and then stir. This will ensure that the cheese sticks to the pasta, and the pasta will then stick to the sauce and the other ingredients.
- Basil: Add as much or as little as you would like. I love adding a lot! So I just grab a handful. Start with at least 1/4 cup.
- Serves: 4-6 people.