Courgette, Ricotta and Shallot Torte
I have a serious problem with buying cookbooks and I keep telling myself that I don’t really need anymore but here I am still buying them because I can’t help myself. It’s an addiction, I’m convinced. So with all of the cookbooks in my collection I’ve promised myself to cook more from them this year. It forces me to cook new recipes that I wouldn’t normally try. Anyhow, I just recently bought a copy of “The Italian Deli Cookbook” by Theo Randall. I’ve been cooking from it nonstop since I got it and each recipe I’ve made just gets better and better. I wanted to share this Courgette, Ricotta and Shallot Torte from the book. It’s a simple (yet very delicious) vegetarian recipe that utilizes store-bought puff pastry for ease and fresh courgettes (zucchini). You need to try this torte because it’s unbelievable, and while you’re at it, pick up a copy of the book. You’ll use it again and again.
Slice up the torte and top it with the crisp, herby salad. It pairs so nicely with a chilled crisp white wine on a lazy weekend when you don’t really feel like cooking up anything too fancy. It’ll still impress everyone though so keep it in mind when you want a show-stopping recipe.
Courgette, Ricotta and Shallot Torte
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Pastry Brush
- Skillet
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
Torte:
- 320 g store-bought rolled puff pastry thawed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 5 courgettes zucchini sliced into thin rounds
- 3 medium shallots finely sliced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves chopped
- Kosher salt and coarse black pepper
- 9 ounces ricotta
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 8 basil leaves torn
Crisp Herby Salad:
- 1 large head of Romaine lettuce shredded
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 Persian cucumber roughly chopped
- 10 mint leaves finely chopped
- 10 basil leaves finely chopped
- 1/4 cup Italian parsley finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Kosher salt and coarse black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Unroll puff pastry and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Dock all over the top with a fork. Whisk 1 egg with the milk and brush the puff pastry liberally. Bake until puffed up and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven (but leave it on) and allow to cool.
- Set a large skillet over medium-high heat with the olive oil. Once hot, add in the sliced courgette, shallot, garlic, thyme, and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 20 minutes, until the courgettes and onions have become soft and slightly caramelized. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
- In a bowl, mix the ricotta with half of the parmesan, the torn basil and the remaining egg. Season with salt and pepper and mix well to combine.
- Gently push down on the risen puff pastry to form an even base. Spread with the ricotta mixture, leaving a 1-inch border along the edges. Top with the courgette and shallot mixture and then sprinkle over the remaining parmesan. Bake until golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- To make the crisp, herby salad, toss everything together in a large bowl and season well with salt and pepper. Slice the torte and serve with the salad on top. Enjoy!
