This Month's Recipe...

June 2022 - Courgette Tart

A tart to serve from early summer right through to the last days before November frosts. With a buttery, flaky, puff pastry base and juicy ribbons of courgettes, this is a starter with a sublime combination of taste and texture. You can also adapt to other ingredients. If you do not want to make your own pastry buy good-quality butter puff pastry.

Ingredients

Serves 6-8

Serving dish: wooden board

500g rough puff pastry (see p166 of Dinner & Party) or ready-made puff pastry

4-6 courgettes

3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for dressing

20 basil leaves

Salt and fresh ground black pepper

2 tbsp grated pecorino cheese or salted ricotta

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/400°F/Gas 6.

Cut the pastry in half. Roll each half into a long rectangle, approximately 30x15 cm. Place on a baking sheet then prick all over with a fork except for a 1cm border along the edge of the tarts.

Shave the courgettes into oblong slices with a potato peeler or a mandolin. Scatter all over the pastry bases except for the borders. Brush with the olive oil and then bake for about 20-30 minutes until the edges and underside of the pastry are golden and the courgettes soft and slightly singed in places. Remove from the oven and allow to cool a little.

Scatter over the basil leaves, season with salt and pepper, throw over the pecorino cheese and then drip a little more olive oil over the surface. Serve at room temperature, sliced across the width of the tart. 

Options: You could substitute the courgette for thinly sliced aubergine, whole asparagus, shavings of butternut squash or new potato with thyme and rosemary.