Grilled Corn Pasta with Roasted Garlic, Tomatoes and Spinach

I have come to find that some of my most delicious meals comes from throwing together whatever I've got on hand. Last week's dinner didn't start off that way. I intended to make Mark Bittman's Pasta with Grilled Corn and Roasted Garlic. We had been to a barbecue the night before and our friend sent us home with several years of leftover grilled corn. I new this pasta dish would be a great use for it.

As dinner time approached I realized I had some left over spinach that needed to be used up. (I hate wasting food!) My neighbor had also just dropped off some gorgeous yellow tomatoes from her garden and I thought, "Why not throw those in too?"

Mark Bittman's corn pasta dish tastes wonderful on its own, but throw in some shredded fresh spinach and fresh garden tomatoes and this dish tastes like summer in every bite.

Mark Bittman's (slightly adapted) Grilled Corn Pasta with Rosted Garlic
((Printable Recipe))

2 ears grilled corn, kernels removed
5 cloves garlic with the skins left on
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, washed and chopped
1 lb. pasta
sea salt and cracked pepper to taste
fresh Parmesan cheese for topping
Optional:
1-2 cups shredded fresh spinach
2-3 chopped yellow (or any color) tomatoes

Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.  Return the pasta to the pot and toss with the butter, olive oil and some salt and pepper.  Stir and cover loosely with a lid.

On a hot skillet, roast the cloves of garlic, in their paper skin, until they become black on all sides.  (Flipping as needed.)  Remove from pan and allow them to cool. When cool enough to handle, remove the skins and chop.

In a large pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Add the chopped garlic, crushed red pepper and about 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water. Simmer 5 minutes.

Add the corn kernels (and chopped tomatoes and shredded spinach, if you're using them).  Continue to cook until heated through.  Add the remaining water if you want more of a sauce. Sprinkle with the parsley and adjust the sauce for seasoning.

Toss sauce into the reserved pasta and serve with Parmesan cheese.

Linked to: Midnight Maniac