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Ready rolled puff pastry, a magic starting point. Courgette, basil and ricotta tart



We love a puff pastry tart or galette. The end result is surprisingly impressive, extremely delicious and an absolute doddle to make.

With a salad it makes a great summer lunch but it would work equally well as a starter.

This courgette, basil and ricotta version comes courtesy, yet again, of Julius Robert’s - The Farm Table


Ingredients 

2 or 3 courgettes, preferably a mix of yellow and green
1 sheet of ready rolled all butter puff pastry
one tub (250g) ricotta 
15-20g fresh basil
olive oil 
20g Parmesan 
1 garlic clove finely sliced
1 egg
1 unwaxed lemon


Method

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees fan

Slice the courgettes into thin long slices with a peeler and place in a bowl and mix with a good glug of olive oil & salt

Place the ricotta in a separate bowl & season well. Grate in the zest of a whole lemon and the juice of half of it. Whisk together until smooth & creamy. Add most the basil & mix again

Roll out the puff pastry on a lined baking tray. With a knife, score the pastry 2 or 3 from the edge the whole way round (be carful not to cut all the way through)

Spread the ricotta over the pastry, taking care to stay in the scored border

Top with the courgettes, tucking the slices of garlic under.

sprinkle with parmesan and season well

Whisk the egg and brush the edges of the pastry so they go golden in the oven

Bake for 20-30 minutes, until crisp and puffed up

To make the basil oil, simply blitz a big handful of basil in a blender with half a clove of garlic the juice of half a lemon some salt and olive oil. Adjust the flavour and consistency to your liking

When its out the oven, drizzle over the basil oil & Serve while piping hot!


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