As we enter August, my biggest goal is to take advantage of the most abundant produce right now: tomatoes, corn, zucchini, peppers, and of course, the in-season stone fruits and berries. Summer and fall are my favorite seasons when it comes to weather and readily available produce. Tomatoes and corn are, of course, so delicious, but they do tend to be used a lot in summer recipes. Zucchini, while still common, is not used enough. I see it a lot in bread recipes, maybe sautéed into stir-fries or used in salads, but I love to have fun and use zucchini in other ways. It’s so versatile! I’ve made a few zucchini pasta dishes, a handful of pizzas, and a lot of zucchini bread, but this is my first tart. It’s basically a zucchini pizza but with pastry dough. So, of course, it’s delicious!
It was my mom that helped me land on this recipe. She mentioned that a tomato tart sounded yummy. That got me thinking, “well, tomato tarts are pretty common, what about a zucchini tart instead?” I knew it would be good, so instead of overthinking the recipe, I just made it. Wow, so glad I went for it because this tart is so good!
Step 1: mix the ricotta For the best result and flavor, use whole milk ricotta. Add some parmesan, garlic, fresh thyme, and a pinch of chili flakes. You can use thyme, rosemary, or oregano. I think any of these will be great!
Step 2: the zucchini Next, thinly cut the zucchini using a Y-shaped vegetable peeler. I love this one. Lay the zucchini on a clean kitchen towel, salt it, and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. The salt will draw out any excess moisture. Dab the zucchini dry to prevent the tart from becoming soggy.
Step 3: roll the pastry out Instead of making homemade pastry, I almost always use puff pastry from the freezer. Make sure the pastry is thawed, then roll it out to a large rectangle. Step 4: assemble Now you can layer everything on. I start with the ricotta, then layers and layers of the zucchini. The last layer is the addition of parmesan. Now you can bake. As soon as the tart comes out of the oven, spoon over the basil pesto, add fresh basil, and drizzle with honey. I always find a sprinkle of sea salt with the honey to be extra scrumptious! Simple yet perfect – a low-key dinner with a side salad or maybe a yummy steak! You can also serve this as an appetizer. Either route you choose will be delicious!
Garden greens goddess pizza Pesto Zucchini and Peach Pizza with Burrata Herbed Butter Heirloom Tomato Pizza Pepper and Cherry Tomato White Pizza Garlic and Herb Roasted Cherry Tomato Pizza with Caramelized Onions Lastly, if you make this Zucchini Ricotta Pesto Tart, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
