Zucchini and Ricotta Tart

The zucchini and ricotta tart is a flavorful and versatile dish, perfect for a light lunch or a buffet. Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 roll of puff pastry or brisée
• 3-4 medium zucchini
• 250 gr of ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs
• 100 gr of grated cheese (parmesan or pecorino)
• Salt and pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Aromatic herbs (basil, mint or thyme, according to taste)
• 1 clove of garlic (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. Roll out the puff pastry or brisée into a pie dish, poke the base several times with a fork and blind bake it (covered with parchment paper and dried beans to prevent it from puffing up) for about 10 minutes. Then remove it from the oven.
3. In the meantime, slice the zucchini into thin rounds or coarsely grate them. Sauté the zucchini in a pan with a drizzle of oil and the whole garlic clove (remove it after it has flavored the oil) until they become slightly tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. In a bowl, mix the ricotta with the eggs, add the grated cheese, chopped aromatic herbs, salt, and pepper.
5. Combine the cooked zucchini with the ricotta and egg mixture. Remove the garlic if you have used it.
6. Pour the filling into the prebaked puff pastry or brisée base.
7. Bake the tart at 180 °C for about 30-40 minutes or until the surface is golden brown and the pastry is crispy.
8. Let it cool down a bit before serving.

Curiosities

The savory tart is a very common dish in Italian kitchens, perfect for recycling leftovers or for using seasonal vegetables. Every family has their variation, and it’s not uncommon to find versions with the addition of mozzarella, tomatoes, or other vegetables. Italians love to serve it as an appetizer or as a main dish, accompanied by a fresh salad.

The recipe can be personalized with other types of cheese, such as feta or goat cheese, and you can enrich it with cooked ham or bacon for a more pronounced flavor. If you prefer, you can also make a homemade dough for the base.