Creamy Corn-and-Spinach Pasta

• servings: 4 servings
• total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

2 large ears corn, shucked

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

12 ounces campanelle, orecchiette, or other short pasta

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 bunch scallions, white and light-green parts thinly sliced (¾ cup), dark-green tops thinly sliced on the bias

5 ounces baby spinach

2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 ounce Pecorino Romano, finely grated (¼ cup), plus more for serving

Directions

Strip corn kernels from cobs (you should have about 2 cups); reserve. Place cobs in a large pot filled with water, season generously with salt, and bring to a boil. Add pasta; cook 2 minutes less than package directions. Reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta water, remove and discard corncobs, and drain.

Return pot to medium-high heat; swirl in butter. Add scallion whites and light-greens and corn kernels, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; add spinach, both cheeses, and 1/2 cup reserved pasta water and stir until spinach wilts and cheeses melt.

Return pasta to pot; cook 1 minute more, adding more pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce. Serve, sprinkled with scallion tops, more pecorino, and pepper.