I’ve been thinking a lot about corn this summer. Last year I made a killer corn cake with sweet corn pastry cream. It was truly scrumptious. This year I wanted to take advantage of the bounty of fresh summer corn in a savory dish. And although I just made dumplings and ravioli, I knew I had to make pasta. I latched onto an idea – to stuff a large pasta sheet with corn puree and dimple the dough to resemble corn. Sweet corn ravioli with a rich, creamy filling and brown butter sauce. 

I started my research with an image in my head. I saw a captivating sheet of ravioli once on Instagram, which wasn’t cut. Normally you place a sheet of pasta dough over your dollops of filling, on another sheet, and press down to seal. Then, you cut your ravioli. But I love the simplicity and boldness of serving a large sheet without cutting it. I did a few google searches, trying to remember where I saw the idea first, and I finally discovered “ravioles au dauphiné”. 

Sweet Corn Ravioli (Ravioles au Dauphiné)

A French-style ravioli. It sounds blasphemous to call ravioli French, but apparently they invented this presentation. It’s so elegant. And with a vibrant egg yolk dough, it reminds me so much of the texture of fresh corn. Dimpled, yellow, and shiny. Sometimes I have to edit or fight with the presentation of a dish in my head until I’m happy. Sometimes I go into it blind. But this time I had a very clear idea of how I wanted to present my sweet corn ravioli. Simple. With brown butter and basil on top.

I made kneaded dough for the last two weeks. So this is a hot streak. Normally I get so sick of kneading pasta, in addition to making my weekly homemade pizza dough, but I didn’t want to make anything else. I started the week by making muffins and taking care of some procrastinated emails. The muffin recipe is coming soon – it was a big hit! But on Thursday I woke up excited, as always, to check out the farmers market. It’s peak summer, so the market is mobbed, vibrant, and colorful. 

Farmers Market Corn

I started at the stand with the golden retrievers, who sit peacefully and watch on as shoppers peruse peaches and plums. Japanese plums, to be exact, with a vibrant magenta skin. They also had zucchini flowers, which are a rarity in the summer. They only last for about a week or two. And they remind me so much of Italy. I also took note of the fairytale and graffiti eggplants with artful striated purple and white skins. I really want to make eggplant parmesan when the weather gets a little cooler. Or my favorite eggplant, artichoke, and zucchini panini from Florence. 

I took my usual route, passing the bakery stand that I usually have to ignore (from the abundance of sweet homemade treats at home I have to eat, not because they don’t look good). Then, the Chinese dumplings, artisan vinegars, and the chicken salad man. I picked up a cup for my mom. Then, the main event is the bounty of vegetables and fruits at the largest stand. This week they had a rainbow of plump tomatoes, bushels of blueberries, and mountains of vibrant green herbs. Shishito and bell peppers next to potatoes and beets.

Buying Produce

No corn. Which was a little surprising. Thankfully a wonderful farm stand is only a few minutes down the road. So, I drove over, prepared my wallet, and eagerly scanned the shelves as I entered. They had scallions this time, bulbs and all. So I picked up a bunch. I also bought a tomato, garlic, and I lingered by the big box of corn. A man in front was buying 13 ears. Must have been a good cookout, or family reunion. Or just a big batch of corn soup or something. I waited patiently, then picked my favorite three cobs. 

The very kind woman at the register gave me a discount. I managed to pull out of the bustling lot quickly, which felt very lucky, and made my way home. It was bittersweet, driving into our road, because our neighbor just died of cancer. I always admire his work ethic. Constantly stacking wood in the back yard. Gardening. It’s weird to know he won’t be there anymore. They’re hiring shuttles for people to attend his memorial because he’s so loved. 

Shucking Sweet Corn

When I got home I excitedly organized my ingredients and photographed some artful shots of corn. For some reason I’ve never noticed the subtle gradient of greens on the outer leaves before. It was so beautiful, and fragrant the moment I peeled it. Shucking corn always brings me back to summers when I was a kid. Helping my mom cook in the kitchen before I could wield a knife. We also had to shuck buckets at school for special occasions and community gatherings. 

One of my favorite things is smelling the fresh sweet corn on my hands after I’m done. I wish I could buy a sweet corn soap, or lotion, because it’s so delicious. My mood was high as I began to cook, heating my cast iron pan over a ripping hot stove to char the outsides. For extra sweetness and flavor. I used plenty of oil and a little butter to keep it from burning. And I listened to my podcasts as I turned the yellow cylinders with my golden tongs. When I was satisfied with the dark brown caramelization, I switched off the heat and made lunch as they cooled. 

Sweet Corn Puree

I had nachos with fresh grated sharp cheddar and scallions. Which really hit the spot. Then I returned to my corn and cut all of the kernels off the cobs into a large bowl. A confetti concoction of yellows, ambers, and charred black bits of flavor. I couldn’t decide what I wanted to do first – make the sweet corn ravioli dough or the corn filling. But I decided to save the kneading for last, to conserve my energy. I really give it my all. So, I cooked most of the corn in a pan of butter, garlic, and onions. When it cooked down I added sour cream, ricotta, parmesan, salt, and a little lemon.

I also added some Hungarian paprika, one of my ultimate favorite spices. Essential for my favorite goulash. I whipped it up with my stick blender into a puree. Then, I ran it through a fine sieve into a clean bowl to get out any toothsome corn bits. And I let it cool in the fridge to firm up. Next I tackled my pasta dough. I usually don’t make egg yolk doughs because they’re not very practical or economical. Time consuming, too, with separating egg yolks. But I decided to take the time to achieve a vibrant yellow sweet corn ravioli. It had to look like corn.

Egg Yolk Pasta Dough

So I cracked my eggs and scooped out the sunny yolks with my hands. Into a bowl of flour. I would recommend whisking them together before adding them to the flour. It got a little clumpy, so I kneaded it extra well. For about 10 or 15 minutes. I really worked up a sweat, as usual, and finally approved the slightly springy yellow dough. I wrapped it and it went into the fridge for a while. A whole day so I could spend the rest of the afternoon walking and cooking pizza for dinner. 

Friday was filled with grilled muffins, relaxation, pool playing with my dad, and ravioli-making. I started after lunch, removing my bright yellow pasta dough from the fridge. I clamped my old pasta machine to the edge of the counter and realized I desperately needed to grease it after recoiling from the shrill crank. Quickly I rolled out my sweet corn ravioli sheets. Much easier than agnolotti, or tortellini. I transferred my filling to a piping bag and then piped lines onto one half of my dough.

Shaping Ravioles au Dauphiné

The other layer of dough went on top. And I used a chopstick to press down and indent lines into the dough. I kept one side of the dough open, on the top and bottom, and then sealed the edges when I was done. I even crimped them with a fluted pasta cutter. And finally I rested my ravioles au dauphiné on a baking sheet while my water boiled. They already looked like corn on the cob. Which made me giddy. I just needed them to hold together in the boiling water. 

They did, thankfully, because I took time to make sure the edges were well-sealed. I boiled one sheet of ravioli at a time. At the ready was a pan of hot brown butter. All I had to do was add pasta water for a luscious, rich sauce. And I sprinkled some extra roasted corn kernels on top for crunch and flavor. It was simple, and went by quickly. Soon I had a gorgeous yellow sheet of sweet corn ravioli on my favorite black plate. Dressed with a rich brown butter sauce. I sprinkled on a little salt and picked some fresh basil from my garden.

Brown Butter + Basil

That was it! Just a simple, delicious pasta dish. When it’s summer and sweet corn is at its peak, you don’t need to complicate it. Last year I think my corn cake was so successful because I just tried to pack as much fresh corn flavor as I could into the cake and the pastry cream. It wasn’t too sweet, either. This time I knew I just needed a rich corn purée and a beautiful, al dente pasta shell. I dressed it a little too, in addition to the brown butter, with the last bit of my homemade basil oil. 

It made for a decadent and delicious dinner. I really enjoyed cutting little squares off with a steak knife. Like a choose-your-own-adventure sweet corn ravioli feast. The sauce was simple and rich with pops of sea salt. The basil is the perfect complement, too, both visually and flavor-wise. I love basil. The filling is rich, creamy, and packed with sweet corn flavor. It reminds me of Mexican street corn with the touches of paprika and sour cream. But the dominant flavor is still sweet summer corn.

A Decadent Corn Pasta

This week called for a simple recipe. I wanted to execute my vision, and I’m thrilled with how it turned out! This is definitely something I want to make each corn season, and I really think it showcases summer corn at its best. The only thing better is eating fresh corn straight off the cob. But if you love ravioli, like me, this is the epitome of luxury. It’s so good. I don’t have leftovers. But I’ll want to make more sweet corn recipes while I can. 

Thank you for reading! Check out my prints for art you can decorate your home with, or my Etsy for 100’s more prints and recipe cards. Be sure to use code THEFORKEDRING for 25% off. 

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Sweet Corn Ravioli (Ravioles au Dauphiné)

French ravioli stuffed with sweet corn puree and topped with brown butter and basil

Course Main Course

Cuisine French, Italian

Keyword corn, ravioli, sweet corn

Prep Time 2 hours hours

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author theforkedring

Ingredients

• 200 grams 00 flour
• 6 egg yolks
• 3 ears sweet corn
• 1 tbsp sour cream
• 2 tbsp ricotta
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp paprika
• 12 tbsp unsalted butter
• Fresh basil for garnish
• Sea salt for garnish

Instructions

• Shuck 3 ears of corn until husks and hairs are completely removed.
• Heat a large cast iron pan (or an outdoor grill) to medium-high heat.
• Pour a turn of the pan of neutral oil into the pan and once hot, add your corn.
• Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, turning often to caramelize evenly.
• Once your corn is well-caramelized, remove from heat and let cool completely.
• Once corn is cool remove from cob with a knife and collect kernels in a large bowl.
• Heat 4 tbsp unsalted butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add chopped garlic and onion and cook for 3-5 minutes until soft.
• Add roasted corn kernels and stir, cooking for another 5 minutes until mixture is soft and cohesive.
• Remove from heat. Add your sour cream, ricotta, parmesan cheese, lemon juice, kosher salt, and paprika.
• Add your corn and additions to a blender, or blend in the pan with a high-speed stick blender, until smooth.
• Pass puree through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl and press through with a spatula. Let cool in the fridge for at least an hour.
• To make pasta dough, add your 00 flour to a large bowl and press a well into the center.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks with a tablespoon of water until completely combined.
• Pour egg yolk mixture into flour well and incorporate the flour slowly with a fork or chopstick. Once a shaggy dough forms, pour onto work surface.
• Knead pasta dough for 10-15 minutes until springy and elastic. It should be vibrant yellow and smooth.
• Wrap pasta dough in cling film and let cool in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before rolling out.
• When ready to assemble your ravioli, cut your pasta dough into two pieces and return one piece to fridge.
• Roll pasta through a pasta machine, starting with the thickest setting and working your way down to the 6 thickness, until you have a large rectangular pasta sheet.
• Cut your sheet in half so you have two equal rectangles. Transfer your corn puree to a piping bag and pipe lines of filling on one half of the pasta dough, leaving the edges uncovered.
• Place your other sheet of pasta dough on top and press to adhere with a chopstick. Leave one side open to prevent air bubbles from forming.
• Dimple your pasta dough into a grid, using your chopstick, until it resembles corn on the cob. Seal the outer edges by pressing firmly, then cut 1/4″ of each edge with a paster cutter or knife.
• Heat 6 quarts of water in a large, deep sauté pan over high heat. Add a few big pinches of salt to the water as it boils.
• Once boiling, add your ravioli sheet, one at a time, and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until it floats.
• Meanwhile, heat 4 tbsp unsalted butter in a large sauté pan until it bubbles and browns. When your pasta is done, add to your brown butter, shake to prevent sticking, and add a spoonful of pasta water.
• Add more corn kernels to your pan and swirl your pasta in sauce to coat. Then, transfer to a large plate.
• Sprinkle pasta with coarse sea salt and garnish with fresh basil.