Say hello to spring with this vibrant zucchini tart, the perfect lunch for warmer days! I am talking goey mozzarella, sharp feta and delicious zucchini slices, all baked to perfection. Can't go wrong with that!
If you have followed me on Instagram for a while. you know that spring, to me is all about fresh and simple, no-fuss meals that still pack a punch in terms of flavour. And you'll also know that puff-pastry tarts are totally my thing too. I mean, what's not to love about them? They have some serious pizza vibes (but they are lighter and way less time consuming), they come together with minimal effort and they always, ALWAYS, turn up delicious. Seriously, I don't know what this wizardry is.
I love making them in spring because they go perfectly with a nice salad, another staple for the warmer days in this house, and they are a super quick and versatile lunch option. Plus, there are so many delicious vegetables in spring, you can go wild with all sorts of combos. I bet yellow squash or red bell peppers would also work a treat, Or aubergines/eggplants. You see? Everything. This combination of courgette/zucchini with all this gooey cheese came to me the day I had nothing but puff pastry in the freezer and half a zucchini in the fridge begging me to use it up. I quickly nipped to my local supermarket to get some mozzarella. I also knew I wanted something sharp with it, to balance the sweetness of the mozzarella and of the zucchini. So I went for feta. And about 25 minutes later I had an amazing puff pastry tart that has since then featured in my weekly meal rotation. Just like that. With only 4 ingredients if we don't count salt, pepper and olive oil). I mean, how could it get any better than this? It's truly magic.
Here Are a Few Things to Note When Making This Delicious Spring Zucchini Tart:
Choose the Right Mozzarella: Now, everyone who knows me knows I love what I call 'real mozzarella.' I am talking about that soft ball of milky goodness that fresh mozzarella is. However, if you are planning to use that mozzarella, know that your tart will inveitably be a little soggy (I am sorry Mary Berry). You can minimise this by draining your mozzarella well and squeezing it slightly, but the sogginess will still occur. So if you want to avoid that, your best bet is using grated mozzarella (and I still can't quite believe I am saying this in public).
To Feta or Not to Feta: I love adding feta to this tart, as it makes the flavour sharper. However, I have left it out at times and it was still tasty. Alternatively, you can also substitute it for soft goat's cheese.
Poke Holes in Your Puff Pastry: Before you do anything, use a fork to lightly poke holes all over your puff pastry. This will prevent the pastry from swelling (and perhaps exploding) whilst baking.
Cut Your Zucchini/Courgette Finely: One thing you don't want, is having the whole tart fully cooked but the zucchini/courgette. So the best way to prevent this is cutting them really finely. Ideally, every slice shouldn't be any thicker than 5mm (1/2 a centimeter).
Key Steps to Make the Most Perfect Spring Zucchini Tart:
Take the puff pastry out of the fridge in advance, ideally 15-20 mins before using. Otherwise it will break when you unroll it. Since you are there you might as well pre-heat the oven at 180C fan/200C/400F.
When 15 mins have passed, unroll your puff pastry and place it on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Lightly poke some holes all over the puff pastry sheet with a fork to prevent swelling whilst baking.
Then start with your toppings. If you are using a fresh mozzarella ball, start by adding your zucchini/courgette slices and then nest your mozzarella chunks in between the zucchini. If your are using grated mozzarella, start with it and then add the zucchini/corugette slices on top. Then add your feta crumbs all over.
Finish things off with a a little salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. You also want to brush some olive oil or some egg wash all over the edges to make sure they colour nicely.
Bake for around 25 mins or until the cheese has melted, the zucchini/courgette slices are cooked through and the pastry edges are a nice golden brown colour.
You can eat the tart on its own or with a side of salad (or even potato salad, why the hell not?).
Ingredients:
1 puff pastry roll
1/2 a medium zucchini/courgette
50 grs of feta
150 gr mozzarella (either fresh or grated)*
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
* I have often used fresh mozzarella in this recipe, and it's delicious, but it does make the puff pastry slightly soggy when baking, If you are using fresh mozzarella, drain it very well and squeeze some of the excess liquid out to limit the famous 'soggy bottom'.
Method:
Take the puff pastry out of the fridge in advance, ideally 15-20 mins before using. This will prevent you from breaking it when you unroll it. Then pre-heat the oven at 180C fan/200C/400F.
After 15-20 minutes, unroll your puff pastry and place it on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Lightly poke some holes all over the puff pastry sheet with a fork to prevent swelling whilst baking.
Cut your zucchini/courgette into very thin, round slices (ideally, they shouldn't be any thicker than 1/2 cm).
Add your toppings. If you are using a fresh mozzarella ball, start by adding your zucchini/courgette slices and then nest your mozzarella chunks in between the zucchini. If your are using grated mozzarella, start with it and then add the zucchini/corugette slices on top. Then crumble the feta and sprinkle it all over the tart.
Finish things off with a a little salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. You also want to brush some olive oil or some egg wash all over the edges to make sure they colour nicely.
Bake for around 25 mins or until the cheese has melted, the zucchini/courgette slices are cooked through and the pastry edges are a nice golden brown colour.
You can eat the tart on its own or with a side of salad.
This Spirng Zucchini Tart can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Enjoy!
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