Courgette ricotta puff pastry tart; tender herby courgette ribbons piled atop creamy ricotta cheese and crisp flaky pastry.
Honestly, I feel somewhat like a scammer calling this a recipe.
This is one of those dishes composed of tasty things just piled on top of each other. In the same way that a sandwich “recipe” doesn’t seem right really, this tart is more of a throw-it-together-and-hope-for-the-best sort of meal. However, it turned out so nicely, that it also feels wrong to keep it all to myself.
Plus, it’s about time I showed some more love for savoury recipes on this here blog, wouldn’t you say?
This courgette ricotta puff pastry tart was born of necessity, and a little bit of longing for ricotta. It’s a cheese that can be a bit bland, and nothing to write home about in some cases, but when it’s good, it’s good. Creamy, textured, just slightly savoury. It goes well with just about everything sweet, savoury, and in-between too.
In terms of necessity, I’m speaking about some almost-expired puff pastry we had lurking in the fridge. I’d bought it weeks ago with a similar recipe in mind but just never got round to using it. On an afternoon of batch-cooking for the days ahead, it was time to make this super-convenient ingredient into a meal.
I love a rustic tart, like a French-style galette, and this courgette ricotta puff pastry tart is just a new one for the repertoire. There aren’t any real precise measurements or specific ingredient requirements (though good ricotta is worth the few £€ extra, in my experience). If you’ve got pastry, ricotta, and early-autumn courgettes to hand, you’ve pretty much already got this recipe ready to go.
That said, this kind of pile-on-and-bake recipe would also work wonderfully with spring leeks, summer tomatoes, or winter beetroot!
You’ll need a bit of patience as the pastry cooks and puffs up perfectly, but it’s worth every minute. There’s very little hands-on time with this one.
Also, you can serve it with just about anything. Have it as a side with some protein, treat it as a main course with a bit of salad on the side, have it as a picnic option, or enjoy it as a snack.
To make this courgette ricotta puff pastry tart, simply follow the recipe below!
Ingredients
- 3 large or 4 medium courgettes
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- Pinch of dried oregano
- Pinch of flaky sea salt (plus extra for the pastry edges)
- 1 sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry
- 200g ricotta cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven – 220 C / 200 C fan / 425 F / gas mark 6.
- Line a large roasting tin or baking tray with a sheet of greaseproof paper. No need for precise measurements here, just the biggest tin/tray you’ve got!
- Wash and dry your courgettes.
- Use a vegetable peeler to peel thin ribbons from all the courgettes into a large bowl.
- Add the oil, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, and salt, and stir well to season each strand of courgette. Set aside for a few minutes to marinate while you prepare your pastry.
- Roll out your rectangle of puff pastry onto a sheet of greaseproof paper.
- Use a knife to gently score a border of about 3cm along all sides of the sheet. We’ll use this as a guide for filling and folding in a second!
- Spread your ricotta evenly over the centre of the pastry inside the scored borders.
- Pile your marinated courgette ribbons evenly all over the ricotta-covered pastry, allowing the lost liquid to remain in the bowl.
- Fold the pastry borders into and over the edges of the courgettes and ricotta to form a nice crust.
- Use a pastry brush to brush some of the remaining oil and liquid left from the courgettes all over the crust. This will help achieve a bit of colour in the oven while also adding some flavour!
- Sprinkle a pinch of flaky salt over the pastry crust.
- Transfer your assembled raw tart onto your prepared tin/tray.
- Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until the courgette are tender and the pastry edges are puffed and golden.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.
- Enjoy!
BE A MAVERICK: why not try this recipe with sliced tomatoes in place of the courgettes?
This courgette ricotta puff pastry tart will keep well in an airtight container for up to 2 days, but is best enjoyed fresh for best flavour and crispness!
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