sunkissed and content…
A very decadent and comforting dish for a special occasion. A bit rich on its own but goes well as part of the main meal, accompanied by a simple rice dish and a variety of salads. The parmesan crust is divine, crunchy and flavourful.
lasagna tart
Preparation time – 40 minutes
Baking – 15 minutes
Serves 6 – 8 or one 9-10 inch tart.
Recipe adapted from here.
ingredients
2 medium/350g zucchini, sliced into very thin coins
¾ tsp fine-grain rock salt
tart crust
½ cup/75g unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup/70g whole wheat flour
½ cup/115g unsalted butter, well chilled + cut into small cubes
2 cups/100g loosely packed grated parmesan cheese
½ tsp fine-grain rock salt
2 Tbsp ice cold water
tomato sauce
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp each of finely chopped fresh rosemary and oregano leaves
¾ tsp red pepper flakes
400g cherry tomatoes, finely chopped
½ tsp fine-grain rock salt
½ tsp brown sugar
1 cup/250g ricotta cheese
¼ cup small basil leaves
preparation
1. Preheat your oven to 190C/375F. Oil a 10-inch tart pan and set aside.
prepare the zucchini
2. Slice the zucchini using a mandoline or knife into 2mm slices. Place in a bowl, sprinkle over the salt and gently toss until evenly covered with salt. Transfer to a colander and let drain while you make the tart shell and tomato sauce.
make the tart crust
3. Place both flours, butter cubes, parmesan and salt in a food processor and pulse quickly about 25 times. You are looking for a sandy textured blend, with pea-sized pieces of butter. With a few more pulses, blend in the 2 tablespoons of ice water. The dough should stick together when you pinch it with your fingers.
4. Pour the dough into the tart pan. Working quickly, press the dough uniformly into the pan by pressing across the bottom and working up towards the sides. Place in the refrigerator and chill for 15 minutes. You can use this time to finely chop the tomatoes.
bake the tart crust
5. Pull the tart out of the refrigerator and poke a few times with the tongs of a fork. Cover the tart with baking paper and fill generously with pie weights (I used chickpeas). Bake for 15 minutes, pull the tart out of the oven and gently remove the baking paper containing the pie weights.
6. Place the uncovered tart back in the oven, weight free, and allow to cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
prepare the tomato sauce
7. Stir the olive oil, red pepper flakes and finely chopped herbs in a saucepan, cook over medium-high heat until the herbs start to sizzle just a bit.
8. Stir in the finely chopped tomatoes, bring to a simmer, cook the sauce down, uncovered, for 20 minutes, then stir in the salt and sugar, set aside.
to assemble the tart
9. Use a spatula to spread half the ricotta cheese across the base of the tart shell. Then spoon half the tomato sauce over the ricotta and arrange half the zucchini in a single layer on top of the sauce. If your zucchinis are still quite wet, press them with a paper towel. Spoon the remaining ricotta over the zucchinis and push it around a bit with your fingers so that it forms a layer. Arrange another layer of zucchini and finish with the remaining sauce. You want the filling to nearly, but not quite fill the pan.
to bake the tart
10. Place the tart on a rimmed baking sheet (in case you end up with an overflow) and bake for 40 minutes or until the tart is cooked through. Remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle the top with fresh basil leaves.
