ZUCCHINI TART

This is a simple, but delicious tart, that, with a side of salad, is great for lunch or dinner. It’s great fun to arrange zucchini in a playful pattern, but you can always keep it simple and lay the slices flat or in a circle on top of the filling.

Here’s what you need:

1 (375g) all butter puff pastry sheet, already rolled

4 to 5 smaller zucchini (how many you will use depends on what design you choose for the tart, you may need only 2 or 3 if you decide to lay them flat, but more if you do the design I chose)

100 g crème fraîche (if not available you can use thick sour cream)

1/2 cup freshly grated parmegiano cheese

1/2 cup grated gruyere cheese

2 - 3 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed

salt and peeper to taste

Defrost pastry ahead of time according to instructions.

Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Preheat oven to 400F.

In a bowl, mix together crème fraîche, cheeses, freshly ground black pepper and thyme. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Trim the ends of zucchini and slice them into thin rounds (about 1mm), either by hand or using mandoline. Keep the consecutive slices together in a stack, that way they will keep the shape of the zucchini. When all of them a sliced, cut each stack in half across the centre.

Unroll puff pastry and place onto prepared baking sheet.

With a sharp knife, score a line, about 1cm, all around the edge of the pastry, careful not to cut all the way through. With a fork, dot the centre of the pastry (so it won’t rise too much while baking).

Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the centre of the pastry, up to the scored line.

Take a stack of zucchini halves and place them, cut side down, on the cutting board. Fan the slices out into a diagonal row, keeping the cut pieces closely together, overlapping each other, until they form a thin line. (see photo)

Arrange them in an attractive pattern over the cheese mixture in the centre of the pastry.

When you are happy with the arrangement, sprinkle salt and pepper over the top of zucchini.

Bake in the centre of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the pastry sides are risen and golden, and the zucchini are just starting to brown (they will be cooked, but not mushy).

When done, slide onto cooling rack, let cool for 5 minutes, then serve cut into squares, sprinkled with a shower of freshly grated parmegiano over the top, if you wish.