INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound penne pasta


• 8 slices raw bacon, diced


• 2 minced cloves garlic


• 1 Vidalia onion or 1 large white onion


• 5-6 ears fresh corn, kernels removed from cob


• 1 Tbs fresh chopped thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme


• 1 deseeded and diced jalapeno pepper (optional)


• 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes (or 2 medium chopped ripe tomatoes)


• grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

Corn and Bacon Penne

Dan Eaton shows us how to make colorful and delicious Corn and Bacon Penne.

Get a large pot of water going for the pasta and use another deep, heavy bottomed pot to sauté 8 slices of diced bacon until it’s nice and crisp.

When the bacon is just about done, pour off most of the fat, but not all of it, and then add 2 minced cloves of garlic and 1 diced Vidalia onion and cook those until they start to soften up.

And, as far as the corn goes, cut the corn off of the cob into a large mixing bowl so that the kernels don't go flying all over the place. Add the corn kernels to the pot with the onions and bacon and also 1 heaping Tbs of fresh chopped thyme and, it's not necessary but, you can add 1 deseeded and diced jalapeno pepper for a little bit of heat.

Once the pasta water comes to a boil add the penne and stir it around for a minute.

Next, add 1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes, juice and all, to the corn, onions and bacon and cook that for 5 minutes or so and turn the heat off.

Just before draining the cooked pasta, add a ladleful of the pasta water to the corn and then add the drained pasta right to that and it's ready to serve! Finish by sprinkling a little grated Parmesan cheese over the top!

HINTS:

Use frozen corn during the cooler months of the year.