Whether you’re planning to make a to-die-for lunch or you are searching for a super cool appetizer for guests, this Zucchini, Pesto, Mozzarella Tart is perfection and far superior to any store-bought version. If you’re willing to make your own dough, it’s truly amazing and definitely worth the effort! Not to mention the incredible sight of watching your homemade puff pastry rise in the oven—it’s a real treat for the eyes! Just ensure that you keep the dough cold throughout the process, and everything will turn out beautifully.
1 cup + 6 tbsp all purpose flour
6 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup iced water
6 tbsp chilled unsalted butter (European butter works best)
1 handful of basil leaves
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small zucchini
1 mozzarella ball
Step 1
1. Blend flour with cornstarch using a whisk and preserve 1/4 cup for step 2.
2. Stir in the oil and salt into the flour mix and mix the best you can using a fork or your fingers. The ideal texture should have no big clumps of flour and the oil should be nearly invisible.
3. Slowly, little by little, add the ice cold water pressing ingredients together using a spatula first then your hands to form a cushion like shape. No need to make a smooth surface, it will smooth out by itself during the folding process. The constituency of the dough should be pliable, not damp nor sticky.
4. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate it for 40 minutes.
Step 2
5. When the dough is about to be ready to be rolled out, beat the chilled butter with a rolling pin to soften it. Add the preserved 1/4 cup of flour mix to the butter and combine until the mixture is smooth and easy to spread, but still cold. If the butter has softened too much, place it in the fridge at the time to roll out the dough, that should do it.
6. Remove the dough from the fridge and unwrap it.
7. Lightly flour the dough on both sides to make sure it doesn’t stick to the working surface.
8. Roll the dough into a 10 inches long – 6 inches wide rectangle.
9. Spread the butter mixture over the upper 2/3 of the dough, leaving about 1.5 inches unbuttered borders all around (1).
10. Fold the bottom unbuttered over half of the buttered surface (2), then fold the top buttered over it (3).
11. Rotate the dough 90 degrees so that the top flap is vertical (4).
12. Lightly flour the dough on both sides and roll it into a 10 inches long so it will be long enough to be folded in 4 layers.
13. Fold the top and bottom edges so that they meet at the center (5), then fold again both edges towards the center (6).
14. Wrap the dough in plastic and place it in the freezer for 10 minutes. The dough needs to be kept cold and firm to ensure the butter does not combine with the layers while rolling.
15. Once the dough is chilled, repeat the folding process one more time to create more layers of dough/butter: Roll into a long rectangular, fold just like we did (2), (3), (4), roll again into a long rectangular and repeat folding (5), (6). Make sure the dough stays cold during the process, if not, place the dough back into the freezer for a few minutes.
16. Wrap into plastic and place the dough in the fridge overnight. For the best result, do not skip this important step.
17. In a mortar, crush the pine nuts until they form a paste.
18. Add the basil leaves and salt to the mortar and grind until all the leaves are broken down.
19. Stir in the grated Parmesan and olive oil until well combined. Set aside.
20. Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).
21. Remove the puff pastry from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly.
22. Roll out the puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface, keeping it as square as possible.
23. Cut the dough into a perfectly square shape, or you can also shape it into a rectangle if desired.
24. Use the dough scraps to create an edge, attaching them with an egg wash to form a border.
25. Spread the pesto evenly over the bottom of the dough.
26. Place the mozzarella on top, covering the entire surface of the pesto.
27. Use a vegetable peeler to shave the zucchini into thin ribbons and arrange them on top of the mozzarella.
28. Bake the tart for 15-20 minutes or until the dough is nicely puffed and golden.
Cheers Xx
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