Provençal Zucchini and Swiss Chard Tart

- Total Time
- 1 hour 45 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1recipe whole wheat yeasted olive oil pie pastry
- 1pound Swiss chard
- Salt to taste
- 2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1medium onion, finely chopped
- 2pounds zucchini, cut in small dice (¼ to ⅓ inch)
- 2 to 3large garlic cloves (to taste), minced
- 1teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
- 1 to 2teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary (to taste)
- 2ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (½ cup, tightly packed)
- 3large eggs, beaten
- Freshly ground pepper
Preparation
- Step 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you stem the greens, and wash them thoroughly in several rinses of water. If the ribs are wide, wash and dice them, then set aside. Fill a bowl with ice water. When the water reaches a rolling boil, add a generous amount of salt and the chard leaves. Blanch for one minute, until just tender. Using a slotted spoon or deep-fry skimmer, transfer to the ice water, then drain. Squeeze out excess water and chop. Set aside.
- Step 2
Heat the oil over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet, and add the onion and diced chard stems, if using. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Stir in the zucchini. Season to taste with salt, and cook, stirring, until just tender and still bright green, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme and rosemary, and cook with the zucchini and onion until the garlic is fragrant, about one or two minutes. Stir in the greens, toss everything together, and remove from the heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Step 3
Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Stir in ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt (to taste), the zucchini mixture, and the Gruyère. Mix everything together, add pepper, taste once more and adjust seasoning.
- Step 4
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 10-inch tart pan. Roll out two-thirds of the dough and line the pan, with the edges of the dough overhanging. Freeze the remaining dough. Fill the lined pan with the zucchini mixture. Pinch the edges of the dough along the rim of the pan. Place in the oven and bake 50 minutes, until set and beginning to color. Allow to rest for at least 15 minutes before serving (preferably longer). This can also be served at room temperature.
- Advance preparation: The blanched greens will keep for three or four days in the refrigerator in a covered bowl. The finished tart keeps for a few days in the refrigerator. Reheat gently at 275 degrees to re-crisp the crust. Martha Rose Shulman can be reached at martha-rose-shulman.com.
Private Notes
Comments
The whole wheat yeasted olive oil pie pastry was new to me as lining for a savory tart. Indeed, making it was easy (the recipe makes two crusts) putting it in the tart pan and serving it was a breeze. I added some porcini mushrooms, some pre-fried bacon pieces, and fresh herbs. The tart needed some spark though and I sprinkled medium hot pepper on top which helped. Pepper flakes in the filling might also work. Stores well and is versatile.
My husband declared the tart a "make again". I did use a prepared pie crust, but the result was yummy just the same!
This is a good base recipe - sometimes add other veggies such as mushrooms or peppers and occasionally toss in some cottage cheese or a little bit of bacon. Add some lemon zest for brightness and a few red pepper flakes. I skip the step of blanching the greens and just chop and cook in the skillet with the onion.
Just made this and it was delicious. Per comments I did add a sprinkle of lemon peel and chili flakes to amp the flavor. Excellent. Used a store bought crust in a 10 inch springform pan. Added to my list of go to recipes during zucchini season.
I didn't have a 10" tart pan so I rolled out the entire dough ball and placed it in a 10" buttered and oiled, glass pie pan. It was delicious. We now want to experiment with different fillings.
I used mostly chard, but tossed in a handful of beet greens, for a little variety of flavor (and color!). Couldn't find Gruyere, but a nice, flavorful Swiss did nicely. Used FIVE cloves of garlic and it wasn't too much. Everyone loved it.