Zucchini (Courgette)
By Cat, May 2012 (Photo, right, from Wikimedia Commons)
Includes: 1. Zucchini Tart with Lemon-thyme & Goat Cheese
See also: 1. Pie & Tart Crusts, Pastry; 2. Pies, Tarts, Turnovers; Other sites: 1. Asparagus & Goat Cheese with Bacon Tart
Savory tarts make great appetizers, small plates and/or main course meals. As turnovers, they can substitute for sandwiches.
Perhaps the best known savory pie is Pizza, but there are so many more. Mincemeat Pie is another old favorite, although modern mincemeat is not even made with meat, and is much sweeter than the original. Quiche is another popular savory pie.
And here’s another – a great way to use some of all that zucchini….
Zucchini Tart with Lemon-Thyme and Goat Cheese
This recipe is adapted from Fine Cooking.com (1). You can use my pâte brisée or tart pastry: or try one of my yogurt crust recipes which is excellent with a savory pie; ur a standard American pie crust (mine, or one in your collection).
You can make your own goat cheese if you have access to raw goats milk, or perhaps someone in your community makes this cheese. My friend Pam makes excellent goat cheese which I use for this recipe. Amaltheia Dairy (a Montana business (2)) also makes great goat cheese, or you can use Chevre.
Serves 8, or more as a side dish or appetizer.
Ingredients & Equipment:
- Crust:
- 1 recipe Pasta Frolla or Pâte Sucrée (rich short crust from Italy or France). Alternately, use American Standard Pie Crust for 1-crust 10″ pie, or any recipe calling for about 1 ¼ cups total flour, and including the vinegar. Another option is ⅓ recipe Yogurt Pie Crust I, or Yogurt Pie Crust II for 1-crust 9″ pie.
- Filling:
- 1 ½ lb zucchini
- freshly ground black pepper
- unrefined sea salt
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 8 oz plain goat cheese, softened
- 1 tsp chopped fresh lemon-thyme OR 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme and 1/4 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- Equipment:
- medium bowl
- small bowl
- baking sheet
- mandoline or sharp knife
- colander
Method:
Pastry: Prepare according to other recipe, then shape:
- For one large tart, shape into a thick disk, wrap in waxed paper or oiled parchment, and chill 30 minutes. Roll on well-floured surface into an 11-inch round, ¼” thick.
- For individual tarts, separate into 4 or 8 smaller, thick discs; stack and wrap together and chill. Roll on well-floured surface into ¼” thick rounds. See also How to make freeform tarts, below.
- Transfer to baking sheet, cover with waxed paper and chill until ready to use, at least 30 minutes.
- Filling: Meanwhile, wash and trim the zucchini, then slice about 1/8” crosswise into rounds. In a colander, toss with 2 tsp salt and drain for 30 minutes. Gently squeeze slices to release excess water and transfer to a medium bowl.
- About 20 minutes before you are ready to bake the tart, preheat oven to 400°F.
- Toss zucchini with 1 Tbsp olive oil and pepper to taste.
- In small bowl, mix cheese with herb, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Arrange Tart: Spread cheese mixture over dough, leaving a ½” border. Arrange zucchini rounds in tightly overlapping concentric circles, starting around the edge of the dough and working toward the center. Note that the rounds will shrink as they cook.
- Drizzle with remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil and bake until zucchini is golden-brown, 40 – 50 minutes.
How to make free-form tarts
Flatten ball of dough slightly with your hand, then roll with flour-dusted rolling pin or glass. Slip onto a rimmed parchment-lined baking sheet. Fill tarts, then fold edges around the fruit, crimping and pleating as you go.
Serving ideas
- Serve with a salad of greens, scallions and fresh tomatoes with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
- Also great as a side dish with grilled or BBQ chicken.
References:
- Fine Cooking.com (finecooking.com/recipes/zucchini-tart-lemon-thyme-goat-cheese.aspx)
- Amaltheia Dairy (amaltheiadairy.com)
