Pasta With Corn, Pancetta, Butter, And Sage

There are so many wonderful recipes for Corn. In summer we tend to eat a lot of it. Pasta With Corn, Pancetta, Butter and Sage makes for a great Pasta. My dad of course would have been bewildered, a Pasta without Tomatoes! This is a perfect example of such a Pasta. Brown Butter makes the Corn even sweeter. Give this one a try next summer.

Pasta With Corn, Pancetta, Butter, And Sage
Once the first local sweet corn arrives in june, we make this pasta, none form or another, a few times a week. My favorite version is whichever one we are making on a given day. The formula is delicious with or without the Parmigiano-Reggiano, with a little cream added at the end, with prosciutto in lieu of the pancetta, or without meat at all. An unmeasured scatter of sweet peas in addition to the corn is another pretty and delicious variation.
Buy fresh-picked corn, and when choosing ears, root around for the young ones with small kernels-you'11 get less corn per cob, but what you sacrifice in yield is inconsequential, given the difference in quality. Fat, full kernels tend to be tougher, dry, and starchy. Juicy, young kernels need less butter to make a succulent pasta dish. Otherwise, you can't skimp on butter without stripping the dish of succulence. (If less butter is your goal, reducing portion size makes more sense). I have tried this dish with various olive oils and found the flavor disappointing.
for 4 or 5 servings:
 

Salt
2 to 3    ounces pancetta, minced {1/3 to1/2 cup]
2-1/2    cups freshly scraped corn kernels and their milky juice - 5 to 10 small, young ears, depending on yield
Up to 1/2 pound {2 sticks) unsalted butter
A trickle of water       
6      fresh sage leaves, coarsely chopped
Small chunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano
Freshly cracked black pepper
1  pound fettuccine, tagliarini, or other slender egg pasta

 
1. Cook the pancetta in a few tablespoons of the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Stir and scrape to make sure it cooks evenly. When the pancetta has browned slightly on the edges and is starting to sizzle, turn off the heat, add a few drops of water to cool the pan, and stir, then add another few tablespoons of butter, the sage, and a few grinds of black pepper. Swirl the pan, then leave the aromatics to infuse the melting butter.

2. Drop the pasta into 6 quarts of rapidly boiling water seasoned with a scant 2 tablespoons salt (a little more if using kosher salt). Stir, and cook until the pasta is al dente.

3. Meanwhile, turn the heat under the skillet to medium, and add another 6 to 8 tablespoons butter, sliced. Swirl the pan. When the butter is nearly melted, add the corn, stir, and cook until heated through. Taste for salt. If the corn seems dry, add a trickle of pasta water and some or all of the remaining butter, to taste. Reduce the heat to low. When the pasta is cooked, drain well, then toss with the corn, taste again for salt and serve. Offer freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano