Pre-heat the air fryer to 400ºF or pre-heat the oven to 375ºF.

Toss the cherry tomatoes with olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Air-fry at 400°F for 6 minutes or roast on a baking sheet in the oven for 15 minutes, until tomatoes are soft. Toss tomatoes a couple of times during the cooking process.

While the tomatoes are roasting, melt the butter in a large sauté pan. Add the scallion whites and corn kernels to the pan and sauté for a minute or two. Add the water and simmer for 5 minutes, until the corn is tender. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and remove the pan from the heat. Transfer three quarters of the corn to a food processor, reserving ½ cup of the corn kernels.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orecchiette pasta and cook until it is al dente according to package instructions (usually 9 to 11 minutes). Reserve one cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta.

Add the reserved cooking water to the food processor. Process the corn in the food processor until smooth.

Return the sauté pan to the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add the scallion greens and remaining ½ cup of corn kernels. Sauté for a minute. Stir in the puréed corn and heat through. Add the cooked orecchiette to the pan and toss to coat with the sauce. Stir in the roasted tomatoes gently and squeeze the fresh lime juice over everything. Toss together and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Serve in pasta bowls and top with some fresh torn basil leaves and another grind of black pepper.