Prepare the corn. Shuck the ears and remove all silks. Stand each ear on its flat end inside a wide bowl and, using a sharp knife, slice the kernels off in downward strokes. You should hear a clean, crisp snap as each kernel releases. Then, take the back of the knife and scrape the cobs firmly to extract the milky liquid — this is liquid gold. You’ll have about 500g of kernels and a few tablespoons of creamy corn milk.

Start the pasta water. Fill a large pot with water, salt it generously until it tastes like the sea, and bring it to a rolling boil. Drop in your pasta and cook until al dente, about a minute less than the packet suggests. The water should sound like a lively churn as the pasta dances.

Blister the tomatoes. While the pasta boils, warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the halved cherry tomatoes cut-side down. Let them sit undisturbed for 3-4 minutes — listen for a gentle hiss and watch for the skins to wrinkle and char slightly. The smell will turn sweet and concentrated. Toss them briefly, then transfer to a plate.

Sweat the aromatics. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter and remaining olive oil to the same pan. Once the butter foams and smells nutty, add the diced red onion and a pinch of salt. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until the onion turns translucent and soft — it should look glossy and smell mellow. Add the sliced garlic and chilli flakes if using, and cook for another minute until fragrant but not browned.

Cook the corn. Tip the corn kernels into the pan. Stir to coat them in the buttery onion mixture. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the corn turns bright yellow and starts to brown in spots. The kernels will pop softly like tiny fireworks. Pour in the corn milk and the stock, scraping up any browned bits from the pan bottom. Let it simmer for 2 minutes — the sauce will thicken slightly and smell intensely of sweet corn.

Bring it all together. When the pasta is al dente, use tongs or a pasta fork to lift it directly into the pan with the corn sauce, letting a little pasta water cling to it. Add the blistered cherry tomatoes and a splash of pasta cooking water (about 60ml). Toss everything over low heat for 1-2 minutes, until the sauce clings to every piece of pasta. The texture should look creamy and cohesive, not soupy. Remove from the heat.

Finish and rest. Stir in the grated Parmesan and torn basil. Let the pasta sit in the pan for 2 minutes — this rest allows the flavours to meld and the sauce to settle into the pasta crevices. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Serve in warm bowls with an extra drizzle of olive oil and a few basil leaves on top.