Savoring The End of Summer

Ah....summer will be ending soon. The shadows grow longer, the air becomes somewhat chilly and  the harvest is resplendent with plentiful tomatoes and zucchini. Always a great combination, I decided to turn them into a delicious tart, which I served for a summer dinner. The recipe follows below.

Tomato and Zucchini Tart with herbs.

Closeup of the tart.

 Below is the recipe I used for the Zucchini Tart. To save on cooking time, I grilled the zucchini first. The results were very delicious, if I do say so myself!
 

Tomato-Zucchini Tart

By Julia Rutland, Birmingham, Alabama, Southern Living

AUGUST 2007

    Piecrust –either gluten free or regular  ( I used cornmeal crust)

    1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced (about 3/4 lb.)

    (I used 2 and grilled them)

    2 teaspoons olive oil

    3 medium plum tomatoes, sliced

    1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

    1/3 cup (1 1/2 oz.) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

    1/3 cup light mayonnaise  ( I omitted this)

    1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation

    1. Fit piecrust into a 9-inch tart pan according to package directions; trim excess. Prick bottom and sides of piecrust using a fork.

    2. Bake piecrust at 450° for 9 to 11 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool.

    3. Sauté zucchini in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 2 minutes or until tender. Arrange zucchini in bottom of prepared piecrust. Arrange tomatoes on top of zucchini.

    4. Stir together basil, cheese, and mayonnaise. Drop by teaspoonfuls evenly on top of tomatoes, and spread gently. Sprinkle with pepper.

    5. Bake at 425° for 10 to 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated and cheese mixture is slightly melted.

 These items came from thrift shops. I like to use quilts as pretty tablecloths. The yellow one above was so sunny, cheery and French looking that it inspired the whole posting!

Closeup of the sunflowers - always a great summer flower.

Again, Tomato and Zucchini tart. What a wonderful way to savor the end of summer!

So, how was your summer? Tell me what tasty dishes you have made this season in the comments below, I would love to hear from you.