Summer Veggie & Pesto Tart

Adapted from recipe by Virginia Willis From FamilyFun Magazine
and Pie Crust is by Maggie Ruggiero on Epicurious

Sautéed zucchini, squash, and corn are tossed with pesto and layered atop a creamy goat cheese filling in this rustic tart. It's a deliciously simple way to use the season's harvest — and it's easily customized with whatever veggies you have on hand.

Ingredients

* 1 refrigerated piecrust (half a 14.1-ounce package), at room temperature (I replaced with pastry dough, recipe below)
* 2 teaspoons olive oil
* 2 small zucchini, sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
* 2 small yellow squash, sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
* Kernels cut from 1 ear of sweet corn
* Coarse salt and pepper

* 2 tablespoons of your favorite basil pesto (I used Classico Traditional Basil Pesto)
* 2 ounces fresh goat cheese or cream cheese, at room temperature (I used a mixture of goat cheese and feta cheese, totalling 2 ounces)
* 1 large egg
* 5 to 10 grape or cherry tomatoes, halved (I preferred using the larger tomatoes on a vine, sliced)
* 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
* 5 basil leaves, thinly sliced (I left out since will be in the freezer)

For pastry dough:

* 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 5 to 8 tablespoons ice water

Instructions

A. Make pastry dough:
Blend together flour, butter, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps. Drizzle 5 tablespoons ice water evenly over mixture and gently stir with a fork (or pulse) until incorporated. Squeeze a small handful of dough: If dough doesn’t hold together, add more ice water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stirring until incorporated. Do not overwork dough, or pastry will be tough.

Turn out dough onto a work surface. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather all of dough together, with a pastry scraper if you have one, and form into 2 squares (I just had formed into a ball). Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.

B. Make tart
1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use a nonstick silicone baking sheet. Place the piecrust on the prepared baking sheet. Fold and pinch a 1/2-inch rim around the edges of the dough, then set it aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini, yellow squash, and corn and season with salt and pepper. Cook the vegetables until they're lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer them to a bowl to cool, then toss them with the pesto.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the goat & feta cheese mixture with the egg until almost smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to spread the egg and cheese mixture over the piecrust. Spread the cooked vegetables on top, then evenly scatter the tomatoes and then the Parmesan over the vegetables. Bake the tart until the crust is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let it cool slightly on a wire rack. Sprinkle it with basil before serving. Serves 8.


Nutritional Information
Per serving (1 slice): Calories 208 ● Total Fat 13 g (20% DV) ● Saturated Fat 5 g (24% DV) ● Cholesterol 36 mg (12% DV) ● Sodium 225 mg (9% DV) ● Total Carbohydrate 18 g (6% DV) ● Fiber 1 g (5% DV) ● Sugars 2 g ● Protein 5 g (10% DV)


Percent daily values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Basil Pasta

recipe from Aldo Sicuso

8 oz sun-dried tomatoes, slivered lengthwise, with their oil (I use Pastene brand which is 7 oz)
1 cup Calamata or other Imported black olives, pitted and halved
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, slivered
¼ cup grated lemon zest, about 3 lemons
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper (I put in less)
12 oz Brie cheese, rind removed, coarsely shredded (see note)
½ cup + 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (I use 1 tablespoon plus the oil from the tomatoes)
1 lb pasta – linguine, penne, rotelle (I use farfalle)

Combine the sun-dried tomatoes, ¼ cup of the oil from the tomatoes, olives, basil, lemon zest, garlic, pepper, Brie and ½ cup olive oil (I use about a tablespoon) in a large serving bowl. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 4 hours.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and the pasta. Cook at a rolling boil until just tender. Drain the pasta and immediately toss with the sauce. Serve at once. Makes 6 portions. (I like at room temperature or warm.)

Note: Place Brie in the freezer, well wrapped, for 1 hour before using. The rind will slice off easily and the cheese will be easier to shred. (or chop into small cubes). It’s hard to find exactly 12 oz of brie, so I have probably added less.