Zucchini, Tomato, and Ricotta Tart

(from annie hall’s recipe box)

Serves 6

The creamy flavor of part-skim ricotta is important in this tart; do not use fat-free ricotta.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Both zucchini and tomatoes are heavy with water and release a significant amount during the cooking process. Simply layering them on top of the cheese yielded a wet filling and soggy crust. We realized we needed some way to purge the excess water from the vegetables before cooking. Precooking our vegetables left us with mushy vegetables with lackluster flavor once the tart was baked. Our solution turned out to be salting. We simply salted the vegetables to draw out excess water and then patted them dry before adding them to the tart. This technique yielded a crisp, flavorful tart with fresh-tasting, perfectly cooked vegetables.

http://www.americastestkitchenfeed.com/bake-it-better/2013/04/secrets-to-olive-oil-tart-crust/

Source: From the America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook. America's Test Kitchen | June 21, 2011 (from RecipeThing user Bethany)

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces plum tomatoes (2 to 3), cored and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
  • 1 small zucchini (about 6 ounces), trimmed and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese (about 4 ounces)
  • 1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 1 ounce)
  • 1 recipe Easy Press-In Olive Oil Tart Crust, baked and cooled
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Directions

  1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 425 degrees.

  2. Spread the tomatoes and zucchini over several layers of paper towels. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and let drain for 30 minutes; gently blot the vegetables dry with more paper towels before using.

  3. Combine 1 teaspoon of the oil and garlic in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the remaining teaspoon oil, ricotta, and mozzarella together and season with salt and pepper to taste.

  4. Spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the bottom of the cooled tart shell. Shingle the zucchini and tomatoes in concentric circles on top of the ricotta. Drizzle the vegetables with the garlic-oil mixture.

  5. Bake the tart on a baking sheet until the cheese is bubbling and the vegetables are slightly wilted, 20 to 25 minutes. Let the tart cool on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

  6. To serve, follow the photos to remove the outer metal ring of the tart pan, slide a thin metal spatula between the tart and the tart pan bottom, and carefully slide the tart onto a platter or cutting board. Sprinkle with the basil, cut into 6 slices, and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

  7. To make ahead: The assembled but unbaked tart can be wrapped loosely with plastic wrap and held at room temperature for up to 2 hours before baking. Once baked, the tart can be held at room temperature for up to 1 hour before serving.

  8. PER SERVING Cal 300; Fat 20g; Sat Fat 4.5g; Chol 15mg; Carb 23g; Protein 8g; Fiber 2g; Sodium 540mg

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