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fusilli with corn, zucchini, bacon and basil

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The corkscrews are the basis for a wonderful, bright-tasting pasta, that can take advantage of fresh corn and zucchini.

for the sauce:

two tablespoons olive oil
three tablespoons butter
two cloves chopped garlic, peeled and finely chopped
six slices of bacon
two ears of corn, kernels cut from cob (or about one cup)
one and one-half pounds zucchini
one-half cup basil, torn into little pieces
salt and freshly ground pepper
one half cup freshly grated parmesan

for the pasta:

one pound of fusilli (or farfalle)

Soak the zucchini in cold water for at least twenty minutes. Then take them out dry them on paper towels, and chop them into squares approximately one-half inch.

Cook the bacon, until crisp, in a saute pan. Drain and put on paper towels while cooling. Get rid of the fat from the pan.

In a saute pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and two tablespoons of butter. Add the garlic and cook for fifteen seconds. Add the zucchini and the corn. Cook over medium heat for about two or three minutes, until the zucchini barely gets tender (really al dente because we are going to re-heat at the end). Add a half teaspoon of salt, some freshly ground pepper, the bacon and stir. Take off heat.

Crumble the bacon.

Meanwhile bring 4-5 quarts of water to a boil. Add two tablespoons of salt. Drop in the pasta and stir. Continue cooking until al dente. Reserve one cup of the pasta liquid.

Drain and combine with the sauce over a medium heat. Add the pasta and stir. Add the basil, and stir. Probably add a couple more twists of freshly ground pepper. Add reserved liquid as necessary to keep moist. Add the butter and the parmesan. Stir thoroughly.

Put the cover on and heat at high for a minute to get the pasta really hot. Taste for salt and pepper and serve with extra freshly grated parmesan.