Combining pasta with loose sausage and one peak-season vegetable is my go-to when I need a dinner I can throw together without thinking too hard. Corn is great here, but chopped up tomatoes, broccoli, summer squash, and even green beans are fair game. The not-so-secret is a handful of parm and a knob of butter right at the end, which turn a handful of humble ingredients into a rich, saucy, cohesive dish. —Chris Morocco
This recipe is part of Short Is Sweet, our collection of summer dishes that deliver a whole lot of deliciousness in 30 minutes or less.
What you’ll need
Dutch Oven
$90 At Amazon
Slotted Spoon
$17 At Amazon
Large Pot
$65 At Amazon
Microplane Grater
$18 At Amazon
Recipe information
Yield
4 Servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente; drain, reserving 2 cups pasta cooking liquid.
Step 2
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high. Add sausage and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, 6–8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer sausage to a plate.
Step 3
Reduce heat to medium and cook garlic in same pot, stirring occasionally, until light golden around edges, about 2 minutes. Add basil sprigs and Aleppo-style pepper; cook, stirring, until basil is wilted, about 1 minute.
Step 4
Add corn and ½ cup water to pot and cook, stirring often, until corn is mostly tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in pasta and 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Then add butter and cook, stirring, until butter is melted and sauce is smooth and creamy.
Step 5
Add 2 oz. Parmesan in several additions, stirring after each addition until sauce is smooth. Return sausage to pot and cook, adding a splash or two more of cooking liquid if needed to loosen sauce, until flavors meld, about 1 minute. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Step 6
Divide pasta among shallow bowls; top with basil leaves and more Parmesan.
