Grilled Summer Vegetable Tart

Ingredients

• 1 small prepared pie crust
• 1 zucchini (sliced into ⅛-inch thick strips)
• 1 yellow squash (sliced into ⅛-inch thick strips)
• 1 Japanese eggplant (sliced into ⅛-inch thick strips)
• 4 ounces cream cheese (softened)
• ½ cup ricotta cheese
• 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley
• 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary
• 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme
• ½ Tablespoon lemon zest

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the grill. Set your favorite grill or smoker up around 400 degrees F.

2. 2

   Prepare the pie crust. Place a small pie crust in a small skillet or pie tin and form to the pan. Remove any excess crust from above the skillet with a knife. Poke holes all around the bottom of the pie crust with a fork. Place on the grill grates, close lid, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the bottom is fully set.

3. 3

   Prepare the veggies. While the crust is baking, use a mandoline slicer to cut the zucchini, yellow squash, and Japanese eggplant lengthwise into even, ⅛-inch thick strips. Drizzle the strips with avocado oil, then sprinkle with Kosher salt and black pepper to taste.

4. 4

   Grill the veggies. Arrange the veggies on the grill grates, then cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side. You want the veggies to become tender and develop some nice grill marks. Transfer the grilled veggies to a cutting board to cool. If you haven’t already, remove the pie crust as well.

5. 5

   Make the custard. While your veggies are cooling, prepare the tart custard. Place the cream cheese, ricotta cheese, fresh parsley, rosemary, thyme, and lemon zest in a blender jar or food processor. Blend until smooth and evenly speckled with fresh herbs.

6. 6

   Assemble the tart. Remove the pie crust from the skillet then set aside. Use a sharp knife to cut the veggies in half lengthwise, then stack them in layers. Roll the stacked veggies into a pinwheel then set aside. Spoon the custard into the pie crust and spread along the bottom. Place the rolled veggies on top of the custard.

7. 7

   Serve and enjoy. Drizzle the tart with a little honey and sprinkle on some fresh herbs. Cut into quarters for a handheld treat and enjoy!