Zucchini, Feta and Mint Tart with Pine Nuts

It’s August.  The best time of the year where all the fresh produce collides into a kaleidoscope of options.

From all the berries, to stone fruit to tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, corn etc, there is literally something for everyone right now.  Early and mid summer produce overlaps with late summer harvesting to bring us all our favourites.

Making the Most of Summer Zucchini

So today I am sharing a fun way to use up some of the zucchini that is either in your garden, or in the fridge crisper.  We’ve all made a few zucchini loaves and muffins, added them to grilled veggie skewers, so now here’s a quick little savoury galette.  This is just such a versatile recipe.  Bake it up as a round, and it is lunch, first course, dinner or even breakfast (add a poached egg on top- it’s great)!  Add a side salad, and it is all you need on these warm August days.  And if you choose a rectangular tart pan, it will slice up perfectly as apps for your next get together.

Simple Ingredients, Wonderful Results

The ingredients are all easy to source: puff pastry for the base, parmesan cheese, farmer’s cheese (whipped ricotta or labneh work equally well) fresh zucchini, feta cheese, mint, parsley, scallions, chilli flakes and pine nuts.  If you can’t get your hands on some pine nuts, feel free to swap slivered almonds for them.

You can prep the cheese base and the zucchini ribbons ahead of time.  The zucchini gets shaved into long ribbons and placed in a colander.  Sprinkle salt on them and press a plate down on them to release the excess juices into a bowl.  In no time they will be soft and pliable.  Thanks to this salting, and the feta cheese as a topper, you really don’t need to add any more salt to the recipe.

The baking is a two step process.  You’ll lay out your thawed puff pastry into a tart pan with a removable bottom, either round or oblong.  Pierce the bottom with a fork and and give it an egg wash.  Sprinkle with some parmesan cheese that will get baked into the puff pastry and create a barrier for when the fresh cheese and zucchini is added later on.  Once the base is par-baked, then we can add the rest of the ingredients and bake it the rest of the way.  Doing this will help from the ‘soggy bottom’ issue that often occurs when using puff pastry for galettes.

When ready, spread out the white cheese layer.  It’s a simple blend of cheese, egg, chopped mint, parsley and scallion, and seasonings.  On top of this you’ll gently lay out the zucchini ribbons.  Sprinkle crumbled feta on top.  And bake.  While it is cooking away in the oven, some nuts get toasted in a skillet on the stove top.  And next thing you know the tart is ready for serving.  Scatter the nuts on top and bring it to the table. 

If you use a long rectangular tart pan, this slices up perfectly into appetizer sized portions.  And because it tastes great at room temperature, you can have this ready well before company arrives.  You can quickly rewarm if desired.

I have a few more recipes to work on before the month is finished.  I’m so looking forward to the cooler (even chilly) evenings for sleeping.  And when that chill shows up in the day time, then apple and pumpkin baking aren’t far behind!  Forgive me, I just couldn’t resist!  I do enjoy all the freshness and variety of summer, and the laziness that the weather encourages.  But eventually that laziness turns into something less than appealing for me, and I crave productivity again.  And I know that it will return in September.

Hope your summer has been a memorable one thus far!

Love Jen

For more Zucchini inspo, check out my Zucchini Halloumi Fritters with Barberries, Zucchini Involtini, Zucchini Carrot Cake, Stuffed Pasta with Zucchini and Patty Pan Squash,  Koussa,Lebanese Stuffed Zucchini

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Zucchini, Mint and Feta Tart with Pine Nuts

A breezy summery savoury tart showcasing the fresh zucchini that is in abundance.  Fresh mint, bright lemon, tangy feta and the creamy crunch of pine nuts turn this into a tart worthy of company.  Leftovers are great for breakfast!

Servings 8

Ingredients

• 2 medium zucchini, green works great as a visual, but yellow is fine as well.
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 sheet from a 1 lb (450 gram) package ready-rolled puff pastry thawed in the fridge overnight
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• 5 1/2 to 6 oz (175 grams) farmer's cheese (labneh, ricotta, or cream cheese work fine as well) softened
• 3 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
• large handful of mint, chopped leaves
• 2 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• fresh cracked black pepper
• 1/4-1/2 tsp of chilli flakes depending on how much you like heat!
• 3 oz (75 grams) feta cheese, roughly crumbled or chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp pine nuts

Instructions

1. Trim the bottoms off each zucchini, then holding the top part, use a vegetable peeler to shave ribbons from top to bottom, turning the zucchini to create ribbons from four sides. You will get to a point where you can’t really get decent strips any more, so just peel off as much as you can and discard the core. I actually just eat it right then and there.  I don't use the very first ribbons- the ones that are mostly skin.

2. Place a colander over a bowl and add the zucchini ribbons to it. Sprinkle on the salt, tossing so the ribbons are evenly coated.

3. Sit a small plate that fits inside the colander on top of the zucchini, then rest a couple of heavy tins on top to press down. Set aside for 30 minutes or so to squeeze out the excess water. When fully drained, wrap the ribbons in some paper towel to soak up any remaining liquid. You can do this well in advance, even in the morning and then store them in the fridge till ready to continue with the next step.

4. Preheat the oven to 425F (220C)

5. Unroll the puff pastry sheet. Roll it out gently a little bit so that it will fit with just a bit of overhang into a 9 inch (23 cm) tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the edges slightly to adhere to the sides of the pan. Fold any excess along the sides.  Prick the bottom with a fork. 

6. Take the egg and beat it with 1 tsp of water. Use it to give the pastry an egg wash. Save the rest of the egg for below.
7. Sprinkle parmesan over the bottom.
8. Place it onto a rack set in the bottom third of the oven.

9. Bake 10 minutes. If it seems to puff up, gently push down with the back of spoon.  Drop the temperature to 350F (175C) to bake another 8-10 minutes till golden and firm. Remove from the oven and turn heat back up to 400F (200C).

10. Mix the farmers cheese with the rest of the egg.

11. Add in the spring onions, mint, parsley, lemon zest, chilli flakes and a generous seasoning of black pepper. Spoon this mixture into the centre of the pastry and spread out to a thin layer.

12. Arrange the zucchini ribbons on top of the cheese mixture; haphazard is fine: a twirly tangle is preferred. Sprinkle the feta cheese over this, drizzle with a little olive oil and add a final grind of black pepper.

13. Put the tray back into the oven, this time on the centre rack.

14. Bake for until the pastry is puffed up, crisp and golden, the cheese melting and the zucchini strips starting to char a little at the edges, perhaps about 25-30 minutes.

15. While the tart is baking, toast the pine nuts by adding them to a warm skillet set over medium heat on the stove top. Toast until golden brown and fragrant, about 6-8 minutes or so. Watch them carefully and toss regularly to avoid charring.

16. Once out of the oven, place the tart onto a cooling rack, and sprinkle the pine nuts over it all.  Feel free to add some more lemon zest at this point as well.

17. Allow the tart to cool for 10 minutes before cutting into slices and serving. A good serrated knife will be your friend here.
18. This tart is great served warm or at room temperature.

Recipe Notes

This will feed 6 as a meal with a side salad; or 8 as a first course or appetizer.

There is no salt added to this dish, as the feta and parmesan both have salt.  If you feel that it will still need it (if your feta is not very salty), you can sprinkle some finishing salt on the tart before serving.

Recipe inspired by this one posted here