ZUCCHINI, TOMATO AND RICOTTA TARTS

ZUCCHINI, TOMATO AND RICOTTA TARTS image

Yield 2

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

Tart Shells
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (3 1/8 oz) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1-2 tablespoons ice water
Filling
9 cherry tomatoes
1/2 small zucchini (about 3 oz), halved lengthwise and sliced 1/8-inch thick
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 oz (about 1/4 cup) ricotta (not non-fat)
2 tablespoons shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Steps:

To make the tart shells: Add the flour, sugar, and salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the cold pieces of butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the ice water over the mixture and process until the dough begins to form large clumps. If the dough doesn't clump, add the second tablespoon of water and pulse to incorporate. Spray two 4-inch pans with cooking spray. Divide the dough in half and press evenly over the bottom and up the sides of each tart pan. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until the dough is firm, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 F. Remove the tart shells from freezer. Line each with a piece of aluminum foil that's been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Fill the shells with pie weights and bake for 35-45 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and bake another 5-10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. To make the filling: Slice 7 of the tomatoes into 1/8-inch thick rounds. Quarter the remaining 2 tomatoes. Toss the tomatoes with salt and spread on paper towels. Toss the zucchini with salt; spread it on paper towels as well. Set aside from 30 minutes to draw out some of the water; blot dry before using. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 F. In a small bowl combine the 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the garlic. In a second bowl, stir together the remaining tablespoon of oil, ricotta and mozzarella and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread half of the ricotta mixture into an even layer over the bottom of each tart shell. Working around the outer edge, layer alternating layers of tomato and zucchini slices. Place the quartered tomatoes in the center of the tarts. Drizzle the garlic-oil mixture over the vegetables. Bake the tarts for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and the vegetables are slightly wilted. Remove, and let tarts cool for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the fresh basil before serving.