Recipes Nugget Markets Signature Recipes
Tomato, Squash & Fresh Mozzarella Tart
- Prep time
- 15 minutes PT15M
- Cook time
- 20 minutes PT20M
- Yield
- Serves 6
- Difficulty
This warm, savory and sumptuous tart makes a great appetizer or a classy choice for brunch.
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
- 2 vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced thin
- 1 zucchini squash (about 6 inches long), sliced into thin rounds
- 1 cup (loosely packed) fresh Mozzarella, "ciligiene"
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan
- ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
- 1 egg, whisked
- Kosher or sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Slice each Mozzarella ball into equal halves; let sit on a paper towel while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
Using a rolling pin, roll pastry until it grows in size by 1 inch in every direction. Lift pastry from board and place in an 8-inch tart pan. Each corner should hang over the sides.
Sprinkle half the pine nuts and Parmesan across the bottom. Lay half of the zucchini over the Parmesan in a circular pattern so that it reaches the center. Fan about half of the tomato over the zucchini in the same pattern. Season with salt and pepper. Distribute half of the Mozzarella over the tomatoes and repeat layering with remaining zucchini, then tomatoes and Mozzarella. Season with additional salt and pepper, then sprinkle evenly with remaining pine nuts and Parmesan and all of the basil.
Fold in pastry corners so they meet in the center. Brush pastry edges and top with egg and place in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and puffy. Remove from oven and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes prior to serving, or refrigerate overnight.
Techniques used in this recipe:
- chiffonade
-
chiffonade: leafy vegetables or herbs cut into fine shreds or thin ribbons; often used as a garnish.
Glossary:
- basil
-
Native to tropical Asia and Africa; there are 30 to 40 different species but generally only one common to the spice industry.
The basil plant is a low-growing annual approximately 18-inches in height. When seen growing in the field, it is almost succulent in appearance and gives off a sweet fragrance as one brushes by. The leaves are quite large, up to 2 1/2-inches in length and from 1/2 to 1-inch in width. The taste of fresh Basil is reminiscent of licorice, and the dried leaves have a lemony, anise-like quality.
Basil is versatile in its uses, which are limited only by the degree of inventiveness of the cook. It has a special affinity for tonatoes and tomato-based recipes, whether they be salads, vegetables, sauces, or main courses.
Pair with
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Chardonnay
A classic white wine made famous in Burgundy, France, it's now grown all over the world. It takes oak well and is often fermented and aged in oak barrels. Full bodied, with rich flavors of vanilla, butter, green apple and tropical fruit (banana, pineapple).
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Pinot Gris
An ancient natural mutation of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris can vary dramatically in taste depending on where it is grown. In the Tre Venezie in Italy, where it is known as Pinot Grigio, it is often a simple, light, crisp wine. However, Italian Pinot Grigio shows little similarity to the majestic, lavish, sometimes spicy Pinot Gris of Alsace. The aromas of Pinot Gris suggest peach skins or orange rind. Pinot Grigio is currently the best-selling imported wine in the United States, and it's fun to say too!
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Chenin Blanc
Commonly grown in the Loire Valley of France, as well as in California. A high-volume-producing vine that gives birth to fragrant and usually high-acid wines ranging from dry to medium sweet. Known as Steen in South Africa.
