Here’s one of those simple recipes that requires some time to prep, but delivers delicious bites full of everything summer. Yet, in its simplicity, it calls for great produce.

In the end it’s the quality of the ingredients that plays the magic role:

they’d be from organic farming, preferably picked just ripen from the field and quickly brought to market.

Lucky me, I have access to a delicious kitchen garden that my family takes care of.

Since this year our garden is very generous, we often feel the need to look for new recipes. The main goal of my “zero waste tart” (I’ve tried also some tartelettes) was to produce something savory, satisfying and as light as possible, using what is available in the fridge: mainly zucchini (lots of), and various sizes of cherry tomatoes.

The secret ingredient? Frozen puff pastry.

“From last-minute hors’ d’oeuvres to hearty dinners and easy desserts, frozen puff pastry is the workhorse of a busy kitchen” ~ Bon Appétit

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Recipe: Cherry Tomatoes and Goat Milk Ricotta Tart

Ingredients

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, partially thawed
• 200 g zucchini, grated – (7 oz) 2 medium size “courgettes or squash” should do
• 200 g cherry tomatoes – (7 oz) as many as you’d like to have covering the tart
• 200 g goat milk fresh ricotta cheese (7 oz)
• 1 tablespoon sheep milk salted ricotta cheese (ricotta salata), grated – (pecorino should do too)
• 1 large egg
• Fresh basil to decorate
• Salt & Black pepper to taste
• Organic high oleic sunflower oil (preferably cold pressed)

Directions

Prepping Zucchini/Courgettes/Squash
– Rinse, grate and place everything in a colander. Add a generous pinch of salt, mix and let them rest for about 20 minutes. Then, in batches, squeeze away any excess liquid, (by hand and/or with the help of a cheese cloth). Set aside.

In a frying pan heat 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil with a clove of garlic, when the garlic turns blonde add the zucchini, season with some black pepper (non need to salt), and let them stir fry until reduce by a 1/3. Set aside to cool.

Prepping Ricotta
– Work 2/3 of the ricotta with a fork, just to the point of small lumps (they’ll taste delicious later on). Season with some black pepper and ricotta salata, add the egg, and mix together.

This sort of lumpy cream has to be incorporated in the cooled zucchini mix. Set aside.

It’s cooking time

Pre-bake the crust
– Line the base of a round baking tray with non-stick baking paper, place the sheet of puff pastry with another sheet of non-stick baking paper and fill with some beans. Cook in an preheated oven (200°C – 392°F) for 8-10 minutes.

Remove from the oven, pull out the paper with the beans, and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Remove the crust from the oven and reduce the temperature to 180 °C (356 °F)

Filling the Tart
– Fill the crust with all the components, add the rest of the ricotta in small clusters and decorate the top with as many cherry tomatoes as you like. Bake for about 35 to 45 minutes.

Notes: Very important! Let tart cool at least 20 minutes before cutting, decorate with basil and serve.

And Buon Appetibilis!

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