Brown Butter Corn Pasta with Basil and Parmesan

• 8 oz favorite pasta
• 4 TBSP unsalted butter for browning
• 1 TBSP unsalted butter to toss ingredients in at the end
• 3 cups (4 cobs) (486g) corn kernels cut from the cobb (can also use drained canned corn) 
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp ground pepper
• 1/8-1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 cup (15g) grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup pasta water reserved (likely not use the entire amount!)
• 1/4 cup fresh basil torn

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook your pasta until al dente according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain and set aside.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Cook until the butter foams, turns golden brown, and gives off a nutty aroma — about 5-7 minutes. Watch closely to prevent burning.
3. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the corn kernels, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Sauté for 3–4 minutes, just until the corn is tender and slightly golden.
4. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, toss for about a minute till coated adding splashes of reserved pasta water until the sauce becomes silky and clings to the pasta. I added about 3 splashes.
5. Remove from heat and add the grated Parmesan and 1 tablespoon of fresh butter, coat till the butter dissolves.
6. Stir in torn fresh basil. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan and basil on top.

*Before You Begin (Mise en Place) - This recipe moves quickly, so it’s best to have all of your ingredients prepped before you start cooking. Shuck the corn and cut the kernels, mince the garlic, grate the Parmesan, and tear the basil leaves ahead of time. Having everything ready makes it easy to toss the pasta together while the browned butter is still hot and nutty.