Penne with Grilled Summer Squash and Sweet Corn.

I saw this beaut in my Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine... and the picture sold me. I seriously laid it on my nightstand and would just look at it before I went to bed. Did I really just disclose that!? Anyhow... then when I remembered the cashew ricotta recipe I saw on Crysta's blog - I had to make it. 

SO good!! The flavors worked so good together... and with the creaminess of the ricotta - I just felt naughty.

1 lb. penne pasta
4 yellow summer squash (about 1 1/2 lbs.) halved crosswise and each half cut lengthwise into 2 thick slabs
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 1/4 cups fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears of corn) or frozen
15 oz. cashew ricotta (almost 2 cups)
1 clove garlic, grated
2 teaspoons thyme

Preheat a grill to medium-high.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot.

Meanwhile, brush the squash pieces with olive oil and season with salt. Grill, turning once, until nicely charred, about 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, coarsely chop. 

In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, corn and olive oil. Add the squash, ricotta, garlic and thyme' toss well. 

Add the pasta and stir in about 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water. Season to taste with salt and pepper; add more cooking water as desired.

***I roasted my squash and corn because I didn't want to go out in the 100*+ weather. I lightly sprayed  them with olive oil and sprinkled the thyme on them and roasted at 450* for about 15 minutes.

Sidenote: Just now finding the link on the magazine's website to give credit where credit is due, I read the comments. Most were not in favor of this recipe... but I think with the cashew ricotta it adds SO much more flavor then just regular.