Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare the pasta according to the package instructions, cooking until al dente. Reserve 1½ cups of the starchy pasta cooking water before draining.

Step 2

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the corn kernels, shallots, garlic, salt, and several grinds of pepper and cook for 5 minutes, or until the shallot has softened and the corn is tender and bright yellow. Turn off the heat.

Step 3

Transfer half the corn mixture to a blender and add ½ cup of the reserved pasta water and the lemon juice. Puree until smooth.

Step 4

Add the cooked pasta to the pan with the veggies and heat over low heat. Add the corn puree and stir to coat the pasta, then add the cheese and another ¼ cup pasta water and stir until the cheese melts into the sauce. Add more pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce to your liking.

Step 5

Season to taste and fold in half the basil. Garnish with the remaining basil, sprinkle with red pepper flakes, and serve.