Sweet Corn Carbonara

Of carbonara, the chef Michael Serva writes, “[it’s] an infamously specific alchemy with fighting words around any sort of modification. Always with guanciale, never bacon. And the addition of peas is likely to have you ducking thrown furniture anywhere near Rome.” Perhaps it’s the 6,000 miles between Rome and Marfa, Texas, that emboldens Mr. Serva, who co-owns the Italian deli Bordo with his wife Hannah Texie Bailey, to reimagine classic carbonara. He uses finocchiona salami ends that no longer fit in the meat slicer in place of guanciale, and adds in-season sweet corn to the mix. True to Mr. Serva’s waste-not philosophy, he utilizes every part of the corn too: kernels in the dish, cobs to flavor the pasta water, and silks as a sweet and surprising garnish. This approach results in a luscious carbonara punctuated by summer sweet corn, making it a perfect dish for late summer and early fall. While finocchiona salami and Calabrian chile paste are well worth sourcing, any salami or chile paste you have in your refrigerator work well here too.

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Ingredients

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

1081 calories; 59 grams fat; 26 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 23 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 76 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 60 grams protein; 2491 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Preparation

Step 1
Place corn cobs in a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil.
Step 2
When boiling, remove and discard the cobs, add pasta, and cook until al dente, reserving 2 cups of the pasta water before draining.
Step 3
Meanwhile, heat a 12-inch sauté pan over medium-high. When hot, add olive oil, leeks, salami, chili paste, fennel seeds and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until the edges of the leeks and salami turn golden brown, about 6 minutes.
Step 4
Add butter, corn kernels, another pinch of salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper to the pan. Continue stirring until the corn has just begun to shine and release its aroma, about 3 minutes.
Step 5
In a large metal mixing bowl, whisk together pecorino, Parmesan, eggs and egg yolk plus one cup of reserved pasta water, working quickly so as not to scramble the eggs. Gently fold the pasta and the corn and salami mixture into the cheese mixture until a creamy sauce forms and coats pasta evenly, adding more pasta water if necessary.
Step 6
Serve immediately, topped with torn basil leaves and some of the reserved corn silks, if desired.