Summer Squash Tart
John has been traveling a lot lately and when he comes home he wants light meals. Hotel food and eating out with customers leave him hankering for home-cooked food. After a few days in Dallas he definitely didn’t want any meat! This tart was the perfect welcome back meal. Summer squash refers to pattypan squash, zucchini (courgette), yellow summer squash and yellow crookneck squash. The term ‘summer’ typically means they have a short storage life so eat them soon after purchase (usually within 2 to 3 days). They can be grilled, steamed, boiled, sauteed, fried or used in stir-fry recipes. Summer squash is a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A and B6 (helps metabolism). Click here for more health benefits.
Serves 4
adapted from Saveur
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1 yellow squash, sliced into 1/4″ rounds
1 zucchini, sliced into 1/4″ rounds
½ butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil plus extra
¼ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon lemon zest
3 tablespoons goat cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat an oven to 350° (180c). Place the puff pastry sheet on a sheet tray lined with parchment. Using a fork, create a border around the edges, poking holes throughout the middle of the dough to prevent it from rising. Place another sheet of parchment over top and place beans or a pie weight over the surface. Place in the oven and bake; allowing the edges to rise slightly, about 20 minutes. Remove and let cool.
Arrange the butternut squash and garlic cloves in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toss with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a 400° (200c) oven for 30 minutes. When cool, place into a food processor with the heavy cream, lemon zest, and half of the goat cheese; process until smooth.
On the cooled pastry, spread a coating of the squash mixture in the center. Arrange the squash and zucchini slices over top, allowing each one to slightly overlap. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil and the remaining goat cheese, crumbled, over top. Place in a 375° (190c) oven for 30 minutes and bake until the squash starts to slightly brown, about 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
The Culinary Chase’s Note: I used a hand blender on the butternut squash while it was still hot. Then added goat cheese, lemon zest and stirred to combine. If the squash seems dry, then add cream to make it spreadable. I didn’t add any as the butternut squash was the right consistency for spreading. We enjoyed this tart but I think next time I’ll lightly sauté the zucchini and yellow squash rounds as I found the slices were a bit dry – adding a splash of olive oil seemed to help. Serve this with a lovely side of salad. Enjoy!