This zucchini tart makes such a beautiful presentation that you’ll want to bring it to the table before slicing it to wow your guests; more importantly, it’s delicious! It has fresh ribbons of zucchini nestled in a tasty ricotta cheese mixture, with slices of salty feta cheese and gooey mozzarella tucked between the layers of squash. The delectable filling sits inside a wonderfully herby pastry shell topped with grated Pecorino Romano. What more could anyone ask for in a show-stoppingly beautiful side dish?

Yield: 8 servings

Serving size: 1 slice

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 oz (70.88g) cream cheese, softened
  • 2 large eggs, divided
  • 6 tbsp. (42g) coconut flour
  • 1/2 tsp. (2.3g) baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. (0.03g) dried chives
  • 1/8 tsp. (0.75g) salt
  • 1/4 tsp. (0.78g) garlic powder
  • 1/8 tsp. (0.03g) dried thyme
  • 12 oz (340.19g) whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 4 oz (113.4g) whole milk mozzarella, divided
  • 2 oz. (56.7g) feta cheese
  • 2 tbsp. (28.35g) freshly grated Pecorino Romano, divided
  • 1/2 tsp. dried (0.25g) parsley 
  • a pinch of nutmeg
  • 2 large zucchinis

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C) and butter a 9″ (22.86 centimeters) glass pie or tart dish.
  2. Place the cream cheese and one of the eggs into a bowl. Using an electric mixer, blend to combine.
  3. Add the flour, baking powder, chive, salt, garlic powder, and thyme to the bowl. Use a spoon to mix into a dough.
  4. Roll the dough between two pieces of parchment paper to form a 9″ circle. I like to use blue painter’s tape to secure the bottom piece of parchment paper to my work surface.
  5. Remove the painter’s tape from the bottom piece of paper and use it to invert the pie dough into the buttered tart dish.
  6. Use a knife to trim the dough so it sits just below the rim of the dish. 
  7. Use the scraps to fill in any holes or missing pieces of dough along the sides of the dish. Use a butter knife to even out the top edge of the crust. Set aside for now.
  8. Cut half of the mozzarella into small cubes and place them into a bowl.
  9. Add the ricotta, half of the Romano, the parsley, nutmeg, and the remaining egg to the bowl. Mix well to combine.
  10. Spread the ricotta mixture across the top of the pie crust.
  11. Pressing firmly, use a potato peeler to slice ribbons of zucchini from the sides of the zucchini, going from top to bottom. Turn the zucchini as necessary to get more ribbons while avoiding the core with all its seeds. Discard the cores.
  12. Place a tightly rolled zucchini ribbon vertically in the center of the pie on top of the filling. Place more ribbons around the center ribbon, going end to end, in concentric circles until you can’t fit anymore.
  13. Cut the feta and the remaining mozzarella into small, thin slices. Tuck them randomly between the layers of zucchini, evenly across the tart.
  14. Sprinkle the remaining Romano over the top, and place the tart into the preheated oven to bake. Bake for 50-60 minutes until the crust is brown and the zucchini is tender. 
  15. Very carefully spill out some of the excess liquid from the tart, and place it onto a wire rack to cool for about ten minutes. Don’t be concerned if there is still some visible liquid; the rest will reincorporate as it cools.
  16. Garnish with additional Romano or fresh herbs if desired. Bring to the table and serve.

Nutritional Information Per Serving:

Calories 240 * Total Fat 16g * Total Carbs 8g * Protein 15g

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