For my first ever professional photo shoot I prepared two entrees: one was a Mediterranean-inspired Zucchini and Sundried Tomato Tart, the perfect dish for a spring garden party or brunch. With summer nearly here, I decided on Grilled Lamb Kebabs for the second dish. Brochettes or kabobs are a lighter alternative to grilled steak or ribs and provide a beautiful display for the bounty of fresh veggies at the farmer’s markets!
Addendum (4/25/2012): Three year of blogging – I think there is a plug-in that will display your post from one year ago and I remember seeing one blog that included what they were posting two years ago. It’s interesting to see the progression, I can actually write more than one paragraph now 🙂 Still, this is a lovely light tart that can be added to your zucchini file for when your garden is overflowing with this prolific vegetable. If you don’t garden, zucchini is one of the most versatile veggies around and is always available in the markets.
Zucchini and Sundried Tomato Tart
1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half of a 17.3 ounce package), thawed
1 c. Manchego cheese*, shredded
½ c. shredded 2% Mexican blend cheese
½ oil-packed sliced sun-dried tomatoes
½ c. fresh basil, thinly sliced
¼ c. green onions, thinly sliced
1 t.dried oregano
1 small zucchini, sliced into ¼” rounds
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
⅔ c. half and half
salt and pepper
Note: You will need an 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom.
* You can use any melting cheese: romano, asiago, mozzarella, monterey jack, or cheddar.
Method:
Roll out pastry on floured surface to ⅛ inch-thick square. Trim pastry edges to form 13-inch round. Spray tart pan with oil, transfer pastry to pan. Fold overhang to form double-thick sides. Pierce with fork. Cover and chill 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Line pastry with foil and fill with beans or pie weights – you do this so the crust bakes but doesn’t bubble up. Bake pastry until sides are set – about 20 minutes. Remove foil and beans and return to oven. Bake until bottom is golden brown, about 8 minutes. If the crust bubbles up, press down with the back of a fork. Cool 5 minutes.
Reduce oven to 400 degrees.
Sprinkle the bottom with Mexican cheese. Add the sundried tomato, green onion, and basil. Top with manchego cheese, arrange the zucchini rounds on top. Whisk the eggs, half and half, salt and pepper together and pour slowly into the tart. Bake until the tart is cooked in the center. Check after 30 minutes, if the center is still not set, bake for another 5-10 minutes. Let sit for 5-10 minutes to cool, then gently remove the tart by pushing the bottom of the pan upwards to remove the tart. Place on a serving dish or cake stand.
Serves 6.
Enjoy with fresh fruit or crispy green salad 🙂
Photo credit: Sipper Photography
Victoria
July 18 at 8:09 pmGorgeous! Your photos are great and that tart looks awesome!
.-= Victoria´s last blog ..And the Winner Is =-.
Jean
July 18 at 8:39 pmPriscilla, your photos are beautiful and the tart sounds so good. Great job! 🙂
.-= Jean´s last blog ..My Healdsburg Weekend and a Rustic Soup =-.
Cookin' Canuck
July 20 at 8:54 amPuff pastry is a staple in my kitchen and I love making tarts with it. This is a lovely version – great use of summer veggies.
Priscilla
July 20 at 10:22 pmCookin’ Canuck – Thanks for stopping by! Yes, I saw a beautiful tart that you made for lunch recently 🙂
Magic of Spice
August 7 at 3:21 pmBeautiful tart, love the choice of manchego:)
.-= Magic of Spice´s last blog ..Whats for Dinner Crepes with Orange Hollandaise =-.
Jimyaeli
November 26 at 6:50 pmHow long do you bake after adding all the ingredients?
Priscilla
November 29 at 1:40 pmHi Jaime – Check after 30 minutes to see if the center is cooked. If not, bake for another 5-10 minutes. Sorry about that – I’ll update the recipe with that vital info 🙂