Summer Squash Salad & Tart

The smaller, late spring/early summer squashes are wonderful sliced into thin ribbons and eaten raw. An easy recipe with lots of add-in ideas (parmesan or feta, herbs, pistachios) can be found here.

But when you want a cooked zucchini or squash dish, we recommend this puff pastry tart inspired by chef Julius Roberts.

Ingredients:

One package of frozen puff pastry dough (makes 2 tarts)

About 4 small, firm summer squash

1 c ricotta

a handful of fresh herbs, chopped

(I like basil, mint, dill, and parsley)

Zest of half a lemon or lime

Juice of half a lemon or lime

one egg, beaten

salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Unfold the thawed pastry dough onto baking sheets. Use a knife to gently score a line along the edges of the dough to create the outline of a 1” border. Brush that border with the beaten egg.

Next, whip your ricotta with a whisk and then stir in the herbs, citrus zest and juice, a pinch of salt, and a few cracks of pepper. Divide the mixture in two and spread each half onto the tarts, avoiding the egg-wash border.

Slice your squash thin (less than 1/4 inch) and lay out, slightly overlapping, on top of the ricotta.

Bake on the top-middle rack of the oven for about 15-20 minutes, until the pastry edges are golden and puffy.

Remove from the oven, slice, and serve. It’s equally good after it’s cooled to room temperature.