Crostata di Zucchine e Ricotta
A pasta brisée shell, blind-baked short and crumbly, filled with sautéed zucchini bound in ricotta and egg. A summer tart, when zucchini are cheap and everywhere and the garden or the market gives you more than you know what to do with.
This is where pasta brisée earns its place on the blog. Pizza rustica leans on pasta frolla's semi-dolce version because it wants a faint sweetness against salty cured meats — but a wet vegetable-and-ricotta filling like this one needs a shell that stays completely neutral and holds up to the moisture without turning soggy. Brisée, mixed fast and never sweetened, is exactly that shell.
Serve it warm or at room temperature, as a light lunch with a green salad, or cut into small squares for an antipasto table.
The recipe
For one 24–26 cm tart, serving six as a light lunch or eight as part of an antipasto spread.
Crostata di zucchine e ricotta — the brisée shell and its summer filling. Click to enlarge.
1 recipePasta brisée, chilled
600 gZucchine, sliced thin
300 gRicotta, well-drained
2Eggs
80 g, gratedParmigiano or Pecorino
2 tbspExtra virgin olive oil
To tasteSalt and black pepper
1 cloveGarlic
A few leavesFresh basil, torn
1
Roll the chilled brisée and line a 24-26 cm tart tin. Prick the base with a fork and return it to the fridge while you make the filling.
2
Slice the zucchini thin and sauté in olive oil with a little garlic over medium-high heat until golden and any excess water has cooked off, about 10-12 minutes. Season with salt and set aside to cool slightly.
3
Once the zucchini have cooled slightly, stir in the torn basil.
4
Beat the ricotta with the eggs, grated cheese, salt, and pepper until smooth. Fold in the cooked filling.
5
Pour into the chilled shell and smooth the top. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 35-40 minutes, until the filling is set and the top is lightly golden.
Let it rest at least 15 minutes before slicing — it firms up as it cools and cuts much more cleanly.
Related
Crostata di Carciofi e Ricotta
The same shell and method, with artichokes for the colder months. See
the full recipe.
Buon appetito.
