When I was in France back in July of 2017 I learned to make this tart at a cooking workshop. Since returning home I’ve probably made it 20x. It’s THAT good and THAT easy.
This is probably one of my favorite recipes (if not my absolute favorite) from that workshop. The best part is, it was completely random. Most everyone at the workshop went back to their B&B’s to dress for dinner but a few of us stayed at Mimi’s house to help with dinner. Mimi literally threw this together seemingly out of thin air. There was no time to write down the recipe and it’s not published anywhere I can find. So I had to remember it and try to recreate it…well I did it. It tastes exactly like Mimi’s. I feel like this recipe is as they say “the sprinkles on the cake”, I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Enjoy!
I’ve made this tart with a few different vegetables like thinly sliced red bell pepper and small bits of broccoli. You could probably use thin sliced Roma tomatoes if they aren’t too juicy. Have fun with it and try your own creations, I’d love to know what you come up with.
Process Pix
mix ingredients 
roll dough and fold in edges 
spread filling onto dough 
layer on the zucchini 
sprinkle on pine nuts and little more filling
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PinIngredients
- 2 Puff Pastry Sheets – thawed
- 1 – 8oz container of crème fraîche (or sour cream if you can’t find crème fraîche)
- 2 egg yolks
- Nutmeg – a large pinch
- 1 large garlic clove, grated with a microplane zester
- 1 medium zucchini – thinly sliced on a mandolin
- Fine sea salt – 2 large pinches
- Small handful of pine nuts
- Piment d’Espelette – a couple of pinches to your taste, it’s spicy! If you don’t have time to order online, simply replace with cayenne pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 F
- In a small bowl mix well the crème fraîche, egg yolks, nutmeg, garlic and 1 large pinch of fine sea salt. Set aside.
- Using a mandolin slice the zucchini on the thinnest setting.
- Roll out pastry dough to roughly double in size, fold in the edges all around the outside, like you are making a little curb so the filling doesn’t run off and it looks pretty after baking. Place pastry on a flat cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread a thin layer of the crème fraîche mixture on the puff pastry. Layer on the zucchini in a pretty pattern.
- Sprinkle with the pine nuts and remaining sea salt.
- Bake until edges are golden brown and the center is cooked about 20 minutes. Keep a close eye on it (w/o opening up the oven too often) everyone’s ovens are different so it could take a little longer or a little less time.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle with Piment d’Espelette
- Cut into squares and serve immediately. It’s good at room temperature but it’s amazing right out of the oven!
Keywords: French Zucchini Tart Appetizers
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