Cookbooks & Zucchini!

This sounds like an odd marriage to be sure.  How in the world are these things in the same title?  Well, as you know the Christmas season has just passed and let me just say that my family/friends know me well.  I LOVE cookbooks (as well as searching for online recipes...but I always have a cookbook or four sitting next to my bed to peruse for ideas.  So, knowing that, here is a little glimpse of what I opened for Christmas…

One of these that I’ve been really attacking in the last 2 weeks is Ina Garten’s Make it Ahead.  You know, it has taken me awhile to get on the Ina Garten bandwagon...but I am now firmly aboard.  Her palette in terms of seasoning always seems right on to me and her techniques are never fussy just to be fussy - but include the steps for the best result.  She cuts corners where she can...but not more than she should if that makes sense.  Her writings also turned me on to this crazy good kitchen store in Paris that is fun to walk around in and maybe pick up a few pastry rings or other things (depending on the room in your luggage).   Well Ina has a new cookbook out but I had asked for this one because I’m always a fan of doing steps ahead of time when possible.  So far I’ve made Baked Farro & Butternut Squash (YUM...even my family liked it it and some of them aren’t farro fans), Stuffed Zucchini (as a vegetarian entree alternative for my veggie daughter), Parmesan Chive Smashed Potatoes, English Chocolate Crisps (cornflakes and chocolate...yes please), Overnight Belgian Waffles (I’ll have to post this one soon) and...her Zucchini and Goat Cheese Tart.  

We ate it as a starchy side dish alongside a protein and salad.  But I also think it would be great as a first course with a small herb salad or as part of a brunch or lunch buffet style spread...perfect (I may try it in a rectangle shape or as 2 smaller tarts if it is part of a buffet).  I even reheated it in the oven the next day and it was still great.  Check it out and check out her book as well...she really doesn’t let you down.

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

10 tablespoons (1 ¼ sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch cubes

½ teaspoons white wine vinegar

5 tablespoons ice water

1 ½ pounds zucchini, unpeeled and sliced ⅛ inch thick (see mandoline note)

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

8 oz plain creamy goat cheese (such as Laura Chanel), at room temperature

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

¼ teaspoon grated lemon zest

Place the flour, ¾ teaspoon salt, and the butter in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse 12-14 times, until the butter is the size of peas.  With the processor running, pour the vinegar and ice water through the feed tube and continue to process and pulse until the dough just comes together.  Dump out onto a floured surface, form into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the zucchini in a colander set over a plate.  Toss it with 2 teaspoons of salt and set aside for 30 minutes.  Then, spread the zucchini out on a clean dish towel, roll it up and squeeze gently to remove some of the liquid.  Put the zucchini slices into a small bowl and toss with 1 tablespoons of olive oil. 

With a fork, mash together the goat cheese, thyme, lemon zest, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper; set aside.

Preheat oven to 400ºF.  Roll the dough out on a floured surface to an 11-inch circle (see note) and place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.  Spread dough with the goat cheese mixture (Natasha’s note - my goat cheese was a bit cool so I used my fingers to lightly press it onto the dough rather than spreading it as that made the dough spread more); leaving a ½ inch border.  Lay the zucchini slices in tightly overlapping circles, starting at the very edge of the dough (they shrink when it bakes).  Continue overlapping the circles of zucchini until the whole tart is covered.  (You can see that mine wasn’t a perfect circle...oops)

Drizzle with remaining tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with pepper. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into wedges and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Note:  Roll out your dough to a bit more than 11 inches.  Then fold it into quarters and tri the rounded edge with a sharp knife.  Unfold it and you should have a proper circle.

Note:  Try and use zucchini that are of similar diameter.  A mandoline is really helpful here.  Mandolines can be quite expensive but there are plenty of options well under $50.  Here is a link to some reviews with a starter mandoline for $25...the price of your Saturday night bottle of wine.  https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/best-mandoline-slicer-article

Making Ahead and Storage Notes:  You can make the dough and the goat cheese mixture a few days ahead and store wrapped in refrigerator.  You can also assemble the entire tart, cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours before baking.  After baking, I wrapped my leftovers in the parchment paper it was baked on and slipped that into a gallon sized ziplock bag.  I reheated it in the oven the next day and it still tasted great and had a crisp crust.

YumScrum...Enjoy!