This requires a touch more commitment than your average dump-and-stir weeknight pasta, but the reward is a golden and glossy dish that’s an exuberant celebration of summer corn—equal parts sweet, saline, and savory with a tiny spike of heat, evocative of its elote corn namesake.
When blended, raw corn kernels give up all of their starch, and it takes only a few moments of cooking to turn the resulting sauce thick and creamy (with no actual heavy cream involved!). Blistering some of the corn to finish the dish with—either on the stovetop or grill—is highly recommended but to simplify, you can just boil those cobs briefly along with the pasta instead (add it to the pot at the last minute or so) before cutting the kernels off in wide strips. Nobody will know.
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What you’ll need
Blender
$45 $32 At Amazon
Large Pot
$65 At Amazon
Tongs
$18 $14 At Amazon
Citrus Juicer
$20 $15 At Amazon
Recipe information
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Cook 12 oz. medium pasta (such as rigatoni or gemelli) in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente (pasta will finish cooking in sauce), about 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain, reserving 3 cups pasta cooking liquid. Reserve pot.
Step 2
Meanwhile, using tongs, cook 2 ears of corn, husked, directly over a medium-high flame on stovetop, turning often, until charred and blackened in spots, 8–10 minutes. Corn will make ferocious popping noises; don’t be alarmed. (Alternatively, prepare a grill for medium-high heat; oil grate with vegetable oil. Grill corn, turning often, until charred and blackened in spots, 8–10 minutes.) Let corn cool, then slice kernels from cobs in slabs.
Step 3
Cut kernels from remaining 4 ears of corn, husked, (you should have about 4 cups); transfer raw kernels to a blender and add 1½ cups pasta cooking liquid. Purée until very smooth, about 2 minutes.
Step 4
Melt 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter in reserved pot over medium-low heat. Cook 1 medium white or yellow onion, finely chopped, 2 large poblano chiles, halved, seeds removed, coarsely chopped, and 4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced, stirring occasionally, until softened but without taking on any color, 5–7 minutes. Add ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes and ½ tsp. ground cumin and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Season generously with kosher salt.
Step 5
Add puréed corn mixture to pot along with pasta. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring vigorously and adding up to ½ cup reserved pasta cooking liquid if needed, until pasta is coated in sauce and al dente, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add zest and juice of 1 large lime and ½ cup crumbled Cotija cheese, stirring vigorously to combine.
Step 6
Divide pasta among bowls; top with charred corn, coarsely chopped cilantro, and remaining ½ cup crumbled Cotija cheese. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.
