Take 5 ingredients

Saying goodbye to the last harvest of corn, tomatoes and zucchini is something I’ll never get over.

I’m spoiled. Maybe it was growing up part-time in Italy, where the abundance of summer is most palpable at the sandy beaches dotted with umbrellas, the long lines at gelaterias, and, of course, the revered open-air markets overflowing with sun-kissed vegetables.

The stars of this humble pasta dish indeed are the ingredients themselves. I’ve attempted to keep the vegetables as unadulterated as possible while coaxing the maximum flavor most notably from the corn, which I cream using a simple hand grater to yield sweet cream for the sauce.

While basil may seem an obvious choice for this recipe, mint may surprise you—until you take your first bite of pasta. Believe me when I say you’ll never want to serve this dish without the vibrancy mint delivers. In the hopes of catching bits of the sauce, my pasta preference is mezzi rigatoni . Of course, you can use whatever you have on hand.

If you’re looking to make this pasta dish more decadent, top it with shrimp quickly sautéed in garlic, oil and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. In this case, the Parmigiano would be optional—at least in my Roman family’s kitchen.

WATCH How to make Creamed Corn Pasta with Tomatoes and Zucchini

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Creamed Corn Pasta with Tomatoes and Zucchini

SERVES 4
PREP TIME 5 minutes
COOK TIME
15 minutes

INGREDIENTS
Sea salt
One 12-ounce pack of short pasta
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 ears corn, husked, 1 ear grated and 1 ear cut off the cob
2 small zucchini, ends removed, thinly sliced into ribbons using a peeler
1/4 cup chopped basil
2 tablespoons chopped mint
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated, for serving

DIRECTIONS
1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente; reserve at least 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
2. Meanwhile, in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, swirl in the olive oil and add the tomatoes. Cook until blistered and the juices start releasing; salt to taste.
3. Add the corn kernels and creamed corn; stir to combine and salt to taste. Add the reserved 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water; stir to combine and loosen the sauce.
4. Stir in the zucchini ribbons, then the cooked pasta and fresh herbs.
5. To serve, top with the cheese.

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Recipe by Silvana Nardone, food magazine editor and author of six cookbooks.