Zucchini Tart

Food as art. This is what I see when I look at this gorgeous tart. Colors, textures, pattern. I never in a million years thought I could manage this recipe, but I tell you in all honesty, it was simple. Using my hands to make those lovely circles was very satisfying. A true creation.

The recipe comes directly from the fantastic blog, InVegetables We Trust and you can find the original recipe here.  I made a few changes including making it larger than the original. I also used a Pillsbury Brand crust, which is made with lard, so unfortunately, I can’t include this in the VeganMoFo. Speaking of which, anyone out there want to join me in the Vegan Month of Food? You don’t have to be a blogger or even a vegan, just a lover of great food. See what it’s all about here.

Here’s what you need:

6 medium zucchini, both green and yellow

3 T olive oil

Black pepper

Basil

One pie crust

Sesame seeds or poppy seeds for garnish

Course sea salt for garnish

Here’s what you do:

Prebake the pie crust at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Be sure to prick the crust so it doesn’t bubble up while baking. I used a 10 inch tart pan, but the original recipe calls for an 8 inch pie plate. Basically, the bigger the pan, the more zucchinis you will need.

Meanwhile, slice the zucchini lengthwise as thinly as possible – I used my mandolin, so there was a little bit was waste cuz there’s no way on earth I’m getting close to the killer blade on the mandolin. Drizzle the slices with olive oil and liberally season with pepper and basil.

Roll the veg up in circles, adding on to where you left off. Surprisingly, they all just kinda stuck together because of the oil. Keep going until you have enough to fill your prebaked pie shell. I actually recommend using a tape measure or ruler to measure the diameter of the crust.

Carefully place the circle of veggies in the crust and use a fork to arrange them in a pleasing way. I had to flatten the layers of zucchini a bit in order to actually fill my crust.

Bake for about 30 minutes, checking every 10 minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and course sea salt.

Important!! Cool a bit before cutting. Use a serrated knife. Gently hold the tart with your hand while cutting.