Foil Packet Summer Pasta Recipe

'Tis the season for grilling! The warmer weather and longer daylight hours make entertaining and dining al fresco very desirable. Summer also provides a bounty of seasonal produce that is exceptionally tasty when cooked over an open flame, which is all the more reason to take to the great outdoors when preparing warm-weather meals.

Apart from the steaks, chops, burgers, and dogs, there's a plethora of less-likely foodstuffs that can be prepared over a grill, and foil packet pasta is a standout, especially if you are looking for something both simple and seasonal. Foil packet pasta takes its cue from the one-pot-meal style of cooking. Instead of some piece of cooking equipment, our ingredients are tightly sealed in sheets of aluminum foil and grill-steamed. That secure, steamy environment inside our foil parcels creates an opportunity for maximum flavor infusion.

For this recipe, I pulled inspiration from the aglio e olio style of pasta. Aglio e olio is simple in concept: a combination of olive oil and garlic, with additional seasonings of black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes. To enhance those summer vibes, I included some fresh lemon juice and freshly grated sweet corn into the "sauce," which adds a lovely, bright acidity and natural sweetness. I added even more fresh corn to the pasta, along with some ripe cherry tomatoes and salty prosciutto, for the perfect sweet, juicy, and salty combination.

You'll need cavatappi pasta, or your noodle shape of choice, like farfalle, rotini, or campanelle, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, fresh garlic, cherry tomatoes, prosciutto, basil, and Parmesan.

You will also need 4 corn cobs: One for grating and juicing, the others for shaving off their kernels.

Fill a large pot with salted water and bring it to a boil over high heat.

Once boiling, add the pasta, and cook for 6 minutes (until very, very al dente).

Reserve 2 tablespoons of the pasta water and set aside.

Drain and rinse the par-cooked pasta with cold water. Set aside.

Place the olive oil, lemon juice, grated corn, pasta water, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes in a large bowl.

Whisk to combine the sauce.

Add the pasta, corn kernels, garlic, and tomatoes to the bowl.

Toss to coat and combine.

Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium heat.

Lay out four large sheets of aluminum foil.

Divide the pasta between the foil sheets.

Pull the sides of the foil up towards the center of the sheet, creating a protective pouch for the pasta. Krimp to seal.

Place the pouches on the preheated grill and cook for 12 minutes or until the pasta is tender.

Remove the pouches from the grill and set aside to rest for 5 minutes.

Carefully open the pouches, keeping the foil in a "bowl" shape to keep the pasta in place.

Top the pasta with prosciutto, basil, and Parmesan before serving.

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Corn is the vegetable of summer: a sweet, earthy, tasty treat that pairs perfectly with this foil pouch pasta. We have a duo of prepping styles for the corn in this recipe. One, we remove fresh kernels straight from the cob. And, two, we use grated kernels that we add to the sauce. Grating corn breaks down the individual kernels, releasing a sweet, starchy "corn milk." This milk makes a great addition to our sauce, contributing sweetness and binding our sauce to the noodles.

To prep the fresh corn kernels, I like to cut the cob in half to give me a solid, stable base for shaving off the kernels. Stand the cob upright and hold it steady. Carefully run your knife down the sides of the cob, releasing the kernels. Try not to cut into the cob; that section of the corn is very fibrous and not that palatable.

For grating the corn, I like using the finer-grade side of a box grater. You'll want to place the box grater in a shallow bowl (this is very juicy business and you want to collect that corn milk) and grate until all the kernels are gone.

Foil-pouch-crafting is pretty easy, and within a few attempts, you'll definitely be a foil-pouch grill master. Here are some of my top tips for assembling and grilling foil pouches. Size does matter when portioning out the foil. I sized these sheets to about 12 inches in length, using a standard roll of foil you would find at the grocery store.

We want to conceal the contents inside the pouch as best as possible. I like to fold in the sides of the foil, slightly overlapping the filling. I then bring the outer edges of the foil together and crimp the configuration together, sealing it tightly.

Basic grill safety is paramount: grilling on a flat surface, monitoring for heat fluctuations, and using the right tools to safely move and transport your pouches. You want your grill to maintain around 350 F for this recipe. If you notice that the grill temperature is creeping higher, reduce the heat or carefully move the pouches to keep them from overcooking. You can also use the indirect grilling method by heating one side of the grill and cooking on the other. This is a good method if you are planning on grilling other items to serve along with your pouches.

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