Zucchini Tart with Lemon Thyme and Goat Cheese

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Serves 8

by Maria Helm Sinskey
from Fine Cooking
Issue 117
Last Edit Date: 7/5/2012 3:22:41 PM

When preparing the dough for this gorgeous tart, don’t omit the white vinegar: It makes the crust flaky and tender.

more about:

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
5 oz. cold unsalted butter
Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. white vinegar
1-1/2 lb. zucchini, trimmed and sliced into 1/8-inch-thick rounds
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
8 oz. plain goat cheese, softened
1 tsp. chopped fresh lemon thyme

Tip:

If you can’t find lemon thyme, use 1 tsp. chopped thyme and 1/4 tsp. finely grated lemon zest instead.

In a food processor, pulse the flour, butter, and 3/4 tsp. salt until the butter is the size of small peas. Add the vinegar and 3 to 4 Tbs. cold water, pulsing until the dough just comes together. Shape the dough into a 1-inch-thick disk; wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes. Roll the dough on a well-floured surface into an 11-inch round that’s 1/4-inch thick. Put the dough on a baking sheet, cover with plastic, and chill until ready to use, at least 30 minutes.

In a colander, toss the zucchini with 2 tsp. salt and drain for 30 minutes. Gently squeeze the slices with your hands to release excess water and transfer to a medium bowl.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Toss the zucchini with 1 Tbs. of the olive oil and pepper to taste. In a small bowl, mix the goat cheese with the lemon thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Spread the cheese over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Arrange the squash rounds in tightly overlapping concentric circles all the way to the edge of the dough. (The rounds will shrink as they cook.) Drizzle with the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil and bake until the zucchini is golden-brown, 40 to 50 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

If you’re serving this tart for a party, be sure to have summery drinks on hand; Garden Party Cocktails would be perfect or serve it with Tomato and Watermelon Salad with Feta.

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 320; Fat (g): 24; Fat Calories (kcal): 210; Saturated Fat (g): 14; Protein (g): 8; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 8; Carbohydrates (g): 18; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 1; Sodium (mg): 500; Cholesterol (mg): 50; Fiber (g): 1;

Photo: Scott Phillips

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by debm59, 1/11/2013Awesome. Easy but a bit time consuming placing all those zucchini slices, but it looked amazing. There was nothing left of it. Will make it again for sure!

by Djilz, 1/3/2013Absolutely delicious. Just perfect as it is written. For a more cheesy appetizer : add 1/2 cup of fresh grated Parmesan in the crust.

by JeffAxelrod, 8/21/2012Delicious and easy enough for a weeknight if you do as I did. Trader Joe's sells a frozen pie dough that's already rolled out flat. I used that in addition to some purchased herbed garlic goat cheese rather than combining my own thyme. I subbed half summer squash and half zucchini since that's what I had. A mandoline is a necessity; I cut all of the vegetables in about two minutes flat. I also salted them and put them on paper towels between two cookie sheets with a heavy weight on top a la Alton Brown. It turned out even more beautiful than the picture because of the two contrasting colors of squash and absolutely delicious. I also put the dough on parchment paper, since I found it odd that there was no greasing the pan step that I saw. Between the shortcuts I think the prep time was about 15 minutes, easy enough for any weeknight with minimal cleanup.

by cindyhw, 8/14/2012I made this for the first time last night and it will definitely not be the last. Tastes great and looks beautiful. The crust is amazing and there are so many ways you can improvise with different herbs and toppings.

by xinawood, 7/30/2012So delicious! My husband said yuck when he saw the zucchini straining, but ate seconds of the tart. I used lemon basil instead of lemon thyme and it was perfect!

by Ladyfish65, 7/24/2012My guests and I really enjoyed this recipe. I served it with a fresh garden salad and cucumber soup. There are two changes I would make the next time I make it, and there will be a next time. One, I would change the dough because it just crumbled so easily. I prefer a little more tender crust- so I probably would add an egg or something. The other thing I would do is add another layer of zucchini. I wanted a bit more zucchini in my bite. Great with dill and garlic instead of lemon thyme. See my post at Lori's Lipsmacking Goodness.

by LArcher, 7/20/2012Loved this recipe! My daughters are big fans of goat cheese so it is not a stretch to say that they devoured this tart. I am looking forward to making it for guests as an appetizer for a late summer BBQ.

by Mslsp, 6/26/2012I have made this tart twice now, both times to rave reviews! My friends want the recipe.

by briannasch, 6/16/2012Everyone loved this recipe. Perfect for a light dinner with a salad or as an appetizer. It is very easy but make sure you calculate in the time for it to be in the refrigerator. It is one of my go to recipes.

by divi2, 6/9/2012Made the recipe as called for except with the addition of fresh chopped chives to the goat cheese. I thought the dish was a little bland although everyone else loved it. If I made it again I would season the zucchini like I was going to roast them and then put them on the goat cheese for some added flavor. The crust was good just make sure you don't roll it to thin on the edges - it will burn before the pie is done.

by mihod, 5/11/2012YUMMY!!! So glad I grow lemon thyme in our garden. So easy and delicious.