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Zucchini and Goat Cheese Tart

If you're looking for a visually stunning, delicious, and elegant dish to serve up, then look no further! I've got you covered with this zucchini and goat cheese tart! To make it extra special, make your own homemade shortcrust pastry base, otherwise puff pastry is fine. Either way, here's a gorgeous zucchini recipe to have up your sleeve!

The zucchini and goat cheese tart on a white plate, with a slice being taken out of it in action, showing the crispy golden pastry and delicate zucchini.

Zucchini is such a versatile vegetable, and affordable pretty much all-year round! And when they're in season in the warmer months, they are one of my go-to vegetables for roasting, baking, frying, zoodling - you name it! (Are zoodles still cool?) Anyway, pair a humble vegetable like zucchini with a beautiful cheese, and you've got a zucchini and goat cheese tart that's sure to impress! Here is the tart decorated as an ancient Greek or Roman emperor with a laurel wreath:

The entire baked zucchini and goat cheese toart on a white plate, with thyme sprigs around it like a wreath for decoration.

Ingredients for this Zucchini and Goat Cheese Tart

I bake my own homemade shortcrust pastry for this tart. If you'd like to do the same, (and I recommend you do!), keep an eye out for my upcoming pastry recipe. Trust me, the flakiness and butteriness is so worth it! But you can also use puff pastry for this recipe (here's a great one that's made with butter). I've never seen a store-bought pie crust here in Australia - but feel free to use a store-bought crust if that's an option for you!

For the filling, you will need goat cheese - here's the one I buy. Whichever one you get, make sure it's one you enjoy the flavour of! Some goat cheeses are too 'goaty' (is that a flavour?), or too salty. Find the one you love! You'll also need some ricotta cheese, lemon zest, fresh thyme, chives, salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. And of course, zucchini!

How to Make this Zucchini and Goat Cheese Tart

Once you've got your base (whether that's homemade shortcrust pastry, store-bought, or puff pastry), making this zucchini and goat cheese tart is straightforward!

First, you thinly slice your zucchini and sprinkle some salt on it. Zucchinis are over 90% water! So to prevent them from making your pastry soggy and wet, we need to draw out as much moisture as possible. Salting the zucchini slices does this. Once they've sat there, salting away, give them a good squeeze to wring out the water. While they're sitting there, mix all the ingredients for the filling, tasting and adjusting for salt. Every brand of goat cheese has different levels of saltiness!

Spread the goat cheese mixture onto the base of your tart. Make sure to spread the filling up the edges of the tart and into the corners. Arrange your zucchini slices in whatever pattern you like. I like to do concentric circles, making sure to cover the edges. I also like to make a zucchini rose for the middle, as seen in the photos. Then bake, and enjoy!

Tips to Perfect this Tart

  • If making your own shortcrust pastry, then make sure you blind-bake it! I bake mine until it's slightly golden. This will prevent the base from becoming soggy once you add your filling. If doing this, let it cool completely before spreading on the goat cheese filling - this also prevents sogginess! Proof that the base stays flaky, buttery and crisp:
  • Taste your filling before adding salt! Every brand of goat cheese is different. So you need to taste the filling first and then see if it needs more salt, and adjust accordingly.
  • Do not skip salting the zucchini! Trust me, if you value crisp pastry, then do not skip this step. You'll end up with a soupy, wet, soggy pile of cheese and zucchini, with mushy pastry. And really squeeze the moisture out of the zucchini - it won't fall apart, trust me!

Serve this zucchini and goat cheese tart with a simple side salad, or enjoy on its own, fresh out of the oven!

I truly hope you love this recipe! xxx

Prep Time 25 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 55 mins
Ratings 5 from 2 votes
Courses:
Difficulty: Beginner
Servings: 4
Description

An elegant, simple showstopper that tastes delicious! This zucchini and goat cheese tart is the perfect way to showcase the humble zucchini. Make it extra special by baking your own homemade shortcrust pastry!

Ingredients
    For the Tart Filling
  • 1 x 20cm (8") pie crust (or 1 sheet of puff pastry)
  • 1 large zucchini (sliced very thin)
  • 100 g goat cheese (slightly softened)
  • 2 heaped tbsp ricotta cheese
  • Zest of 1 whole lemon
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt (for filling - but adjust to taste based on how salty your goat cheese is)
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme (roughly 6 sprigs)
  • 1 tbsp fresh chives (finely chopped)
  • 1 tsp salt (for salting zucchini)
  • Drizzle of olive oil
    • If Baking Your Own Shortcrust Pastry/Pie Crust
  • 200 g plain flour
  • 100 g unsalted butter (cold, and cut into 1cm cubes)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2-3 tbsp ice cold water
Method
    Making the Tart
  1. 1

    Thinly slice the zucchini with a mandoline, or with a sharp knife. Place into a colander over a bowl, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt. Rub the salt over the zucchini and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. See Note 1. 

  2. 2
    Meanwhile, make the goat cheese filling by mixing the goat cheese, ricotta cheese, lemon zest, thyme, chives, and pepper. Taste, and adjust for salt.
  3. 3
    Squeeze the water out of the zucchini - be firm. Get as much moisture out as possible.
  4. 4
    Preheat your oven to 190°C (fan).
  5. 5

    Grab your 20cm (8") pie crust/shortcrust pastry, if using (make sure it has been blind-baked). Otherwise, roll out 1 sheet of defrosted puff pastry and line a 20cm (8") pie tin with it.

  6. 6

    Spread the goat cheese filling along the base and up the sides of the tart base. Try and get an even layer.

  7. 7
    Arrange your zucchini slices in whatever pattern you like - concentric circles starting from the edges, then the base, is what I do. To make a zucchini rose in the middle like I do, lay 8-10 zucchini slices in a line, slightly overlapping. Roll up, and place in the middle of the tart. Roll one more slice and place in the middle as the bud! See photos in recipe post.
  8. 8

    Drizzle your zucchini and goat cheese tart with olive oil, and place in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry and zucchini are golden brown. See Note 2. 

  9. 9
    Slice up and enjoy!
    10. If Baking Your Own Shortcrust Pastry/Pie Crust
  10. 10
    Place the flour, salt, and cold cubed butter into a large bowl. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Work quickly so the butter does not melt! You can also do this step using a food processor, and pulsing the mixture for a minute or two.
  11. 11
    Slowly drizzle in ice cold water until the mixture holds together. Lay onto a flat surface, and form the dough into a flat disc. Wrap in cling film, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (you can also freeze, for a shorter amount of time if you're in a hurry).
  12. 12

    Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. It's okay if it cracks - you can just patch it up with more dough. Roll it out larger than your pie tin (I use a 20cm/8" tin for this amount of dough).

  13. 13
    Lift the dough up and use your rolling pin to roll it up, and drape it over your pie tin. Gently press it into the base, and edges, and crimp the border if you like. Place in the fridge for a further 30-45 minutes (or freeze for shorter, if in a hurry).
  14. 14

    Preheat your oven to 190°C. Take out your pie tin, and prick the base all over with a fork. Scrunch up some baking paper, and line the pie tin. Place some baking weights, or dry rice, or dry beans, on top, making sure they cover the entire base (including the corners).

  15. 15
    Place in the oven for 15 minutes, then remove the baking paper and weights (be careful! It will be hot!). Return to the oven for a further 15 minutes - it should be a light golden brown.
  16. 16

    Remove from the oven, and allow to cool completely before filling with the goat cheese filling for this recipe!

Note
  1. Make sure you don't skip this step - salting the zucchini draws out the moisture. And zucchinis are over 90% water! So if you don't want all that water seeping into your tart base, and giving you a mushy tart, then take those few minutes to do this extra step. I promise you it's worth it!
  2. This amount of cooking time results in tender zucchini that still has some bite. This is just the texture I love in this tart! But if you like a much softer zucchini, then you can cook it for longer (just watch the pastry doesn't burn).
Keywords: zucchini, goat cheese, tart, pastry, shortcrust, pie
Read it online: https://nurturenosh.com/recipe/zucchini-and-goat-cheese-tart/

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