zucchini ribbons Archives - Proud Italian Cook

Summer Bounty Zucchini Tart

August 11, 2012 by Marie 21 Comments

Delicate zucchini blossoms and thin ribbons of squash pressed into cheesey flavored ricotta highlight this summer bounty tart and it’s nothing short of perfection!

Zucchini blossoms need to be showcased and this is the perfect canvas.

Thanks to convenient store bought puff pastry, it makes everything look so elegant when laid upon it and it tastes out of this world.
Crunchy, flaky, buttery!

Even if it sticks together because you might have left it out of the fridge too long and you couldn’t unfold it like you wanted to, ( cough cough), it still looks pretty and no one would even have a clue that you had a problem.

Here’s how you make it.

RICOTTA MIXTURE

In a bowl mix 2 heaping cups of drained ricotta

1 egg

fresh snipped basil

3 different shredded cheeses, I used romano, mozzarella and an aged chedder. At least 1/4 cup each or even more to taste. My advice, taste mixture before you add the egg.

Salt and pepper

TOPPING

In a saute pan with olive oil and 1 clove of crushed garlic, saute ribbons of zucchini, yellow squash and your zucchini blossoms for a quick minute or two until slightly wilted.

PUFF PASTRY

Line a baking sheet with parchment and unfold your cold puff pastry sheet right on to it. Lightly roll it till seams are flat and sheet looks even all around. Take a pairing knife and make a 1/2 inch border all the way around being careful not to cut through. Take a fork and prick the pastry all within the border so air can get through.

Just spread the ricotta mixture, (you’ll have extra to do another one) within the border and then lay your sauteed squash on top and dot with a few cherry tomatoes and a little drizzle of olive oil.

I like to brush my edges with olive oil and a sprinkling of romano cheese.

Cook in a 350 degree oven until edges are dark golden and crispy and so is the bottom, at least 1/2 hour could be more. Ovens vary so just check it.

ENJOY!

21 Comments Filed Under: Savory Tarts, Vegetables Tagged: puff pastry, savory ricotta tart, summer bounty, zucchini blossoms, zucchini flowers, zucchini ribbons, zucchini tart

The Heat Is On!

June 27, 2012 by Marie 31 Comments

The temperature is rising here in Chicago so lighter meals and salads are now on the menu.
This extremely delicious salad just screams summer! It’s fresh and bursting with healthy vibrant color, how could you resist?

Ribbons of yellow squash and green zucchini take center stage on a bed of mixed greens tossed in a light vinaigrette.
The other components are, sliced mini heirloom tomatoes of various colors, red and orange pepper strips, purple onion,
peas and grilled corn, ( which I grilled inside) finished off with dots of creamy goat cheese and crunchy hazelnuts and a drizzle more vinaigrette.
Crispy bread and a tall iced tea and your set for the perfect summer meal, of course feel free to add in some grilled chicken for a little heartier fare, but I was totally satisfied.

There are no exact ingredients here just add in as much as you want, you can’t go wrong. I layered a platter with mixed greens to start. For mine I used 2 zucchini and 1 yellow squash, the ribbons were made with a vegetable peeler. It was way too hot to go outside and grill so I put 2 ears of corn in the microwave for 5 minutes then threw them on my grill pan inside to give them a good char.

It looks beautiful spread out on a big platter because of all the colors, so keep this in mind for your July 4th cookout, it would work great as a side.

Stay Cool!

31 Comments Filed Under: Greens, Salads, Summer, Vegetables Tagged: grilled corn, heirloom tomatoes, summer salads, zucchini ribbons

My Big Fat Thick Pasta!

June 4, 2012 by Marie 18 Comments

Do you ever have the urge to try different pasta shapes? I do, all the time. In fact, if you were to look on my pantry shelf right now you would see quite a few out of the ordinary shapes and sizes.
What can I say I get bored with the same old same old!

For my latest pasta shape adventure I tried Mezzi Ziti #9, it’s like bucatini on steroids! Thick and long but perfectly toothy tubular strands, it was an eating adventure to say the least.
Don’t even think about trying to twirl this pasta around your fork, it’s not going to happen. But I guarantee you’ll be hearing a lot of slurping going on!
My advice is to eat among those close to you!

My sauce was created with vegetables, it was light and very flavorful. I used cherry tomatoes that I roasted with generous amounts of garlic and olive oil, cooked on foil until they burst, then added in fresh basil. The tomatoes will create a great base for your sauce. To that I added in roasted eggplant, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers and zucchini ribbons which were quickly sauteed just until they wilted slightly.

Cook your pasta according to directions then toss everything together making sure to scrape all the tomato juices off the foil lined pan. This is a light but still very substantial, meatless meal.