Zucchini & Goat Cheese Tart

Since this got such rave reviews (which I totally agreed with) when I served this on the weekend I decided to blog it. The original recipe comes from Ina Garten's "Make it Ahead" Cookbook but I made a few adjustments.

If you have a mandoline slicer, set it to 1/8" slices and the slicing part goes super fast. Just watch your fingers!

Since I was also cooking a bunch of other stuff and had company coming, the pictures are sparse, but you should get the idea.


Update: I wanted so badly to make this again but didn't have any goat cheese. So I used 8 oz of a combination of grated asiago/cheddar. It was also pretty darn good, but the goat cheese was better, according to Paul.

Zucchini & Goat Cheese Tart

Crust

I used Laura's savoury cornmeal crust and it was perfect.

Another update: I couldn't find any cornmeal the last time I tried to make this so I used a plain old pastry recipe. It was also delicious.

1-1/4 c. flour

3/4 tsp salt

10 Tbsp (142 g) cold butter diced into 1/2-inch squares

1/2 tsp white wine vinegar

5 Tbsp ice water

• In a food processor, pulse flour, salt and butter about 12 times until butter is the size of peas.
• With processor running, pour in the vinegar and ice water, until the dough comes together. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Topping

1-1/2 pounds zucchini - unpeeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick
2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp olive oil
8 oz creamy goat cheese (3/4 of a tube of Kirkland soft, unripened goat cheese)
2-3 Tbsp plain yogurt
1 tsp thyme or 2 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
zest of one lemon
pepper, to taste 

Optional: 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

• Before you make the crust, toss the zucchini with the 2 tsp salt.
• Set the zucchini slices in a colander that is sitting over a plate or bowl to catch the liquid that will come out. (If you don't do this the finished product may be soggy.)
• Let the zucchini sit for about 30 minutes. 

• Then spread the pieces onto a clean kitchen towel, roll it up and gently pat and squeeze to remove more of the liquid.
• Put zucchini into a bowl and toss with a tablespoon of olive oil.

 

• Mash the goat cheese, yogurt, thyme and lemon zest.

Assembly

• Roll the refrigerated dough onto a pizza pan or baking sheet.
• If using Dijon mustard, spread thinly over dough with the back of a spoon
  
• Spread the creamed cheese evenly over the crust, but leave a 1/2 inch edge.
• Starting at the outside edge, tightly overlap the zucchini circles. (They'll shrink as they bake.)

• Bake 40 minutes at 375º until the crust is a nice golden brown.

Squeeze and dab all the liquid off the zucchini slices with a clean kitchen towel
Roll out the dough.

Spread the cream cheese and start placing the zucchini slices in a round pattern, making sure to overlap.
After I took this picture, I added more zucchini slices and made it much more densely overlapped.

Et voila! Cut with a pizza cutter if you have one.