This is a great way to fake having access to fresh ears of Summer corn that is worth eating.

Who me, missing good – or even terribly edible – corn? Never. The perils of #expatlife. We certainly don’t have Silver Queen, and the ears of corn we do get are mealy and gross. Frozen it is.

gluten-free

Pesto Chicken Meatballs with Sundried Tomato & Corn Pasta

1 lb ground chicken

2 Tbsp pesto

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp baking soda dissolved in 1 Tbsp water

2/3 c frozen corn

1 large zucchini, chopped

5 sundried tomatoes, chopped

4 slices precooked bacon, chopped (I used turkey bacon)

2 Tbsp pesto

Half a box of your favorite pasta (I used a chickpea pasta)

Nutritional yeast (optional)

Fresh basil (optional)

Combine 2 Tbsp pesto with the minced garlic, baking soda and ground chicken and form into ping pong ball sized meatballs. Cook in your preferred method (I air fried mine for 10 minutes).

Put your pasta water on to boil and cook pasta to al dente. Reserve a little pasta water to help build the sauce when draining.

Salt, pepper & oil

Sauté the corn and zucchini in a little oil spread in large pan over medium-high. Hit with salt and pepper and let go until browned in bits.

Add the sundried tomatoes and bacon and let go another minute or two.

Add 2 Tbsp pesto, the pasta, and enough pasta water to loosen the pesto up to form a sauce. Toss and serve with the meatballs, snipped basil, nutritional yeast and a few cracks black pepper.

Serves 3 – 4 for dinner