Savory Crostata with Zucchini and Prosciutto

Savory Crostata with Zucchini and Prosciutto. This is an easy and tasty recipe that your family will love. A homemade light and flaky crust hosts a luscious egg filling with highlights of zucchini and prosciutto. Crumbly, creamy, sweet, salty, you have it all. Perfect as an appetizer, or as a full meal.

Song of the day:  Diamonds by Sam Smith

That I am a fan of crostata you already know, but what you do not know, maybe, is that you can make a wonderful savory crostata to change things up a bit for your family meals. It is fun to eat, and also to make. The homemade crust is an amazing base for a luscious creamy filling. We loved it, I am sure you will too.

Homemade tart pastry

My basic savory tart pastry can become your go-to recipe for a no-fail, buttery, flaky, savory tart pastry, with endless filling possibilities. It comes together easily in a food processor.

• Start by mixing the flour and the salt, then add the cubed, chilled, butter and pulse it until the mixture has a crumbly, pebble-like texture.
• Next, mix the egg with 2 tablespoons of cold water and add it to the butter/flour mixture. Pulse to mix it until it just comes together (it doesn’t need to form into a ball). See the picture below.

• After that, transfer the dough onto a work surface, pat into a ball, and flatten into a disk. Wrap it in plastic and let it rest in the refrigerator for about half an hour.

Prepare the zucchini, prosciutto, and egg filling

While the dough is resting in the fridge, get all the other ingredients ready:

1. Wash and thinly cut the zucchini in rounds.
2. Measure the cream, take out the eggs, sliver the prosciutto.

Steps of the preparation

1. In a saute pan add the 2 tablespoons of evo oil, the garlic, the zucchini, adjust with salt and pepper, basil leaves, and a pinch of oregano. Cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes, just to soften them. Let cool slightly.
2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, then add the Parmigiano, the cream, the slivers of prosciutto, and the cooked zucchini. Blend everything well. Then, pour the zucchini into the egg/cream mixture.

How to assemble the tart

• Turn on the oven at 350°F (180°C). Butter and flour the bottom and sides of a round tart pan with a removable bottom.
• Take the dough out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. Then, divide the dough in two, one slightly bigger than the other (about ⅔ and ⅓).
• Lightly flour a wood board, place the bigger part of the dough and sprinkle flour on top. Flatten the disk with the rolling pin, turning the dough as you keep rolling, and adding flour only as necessary to keep the dough from sticking to the counter or the rolling pin.
• Once the dough is large enough so that it will cover the bottom of the tart pan and go up the sides, roll the dough around the rolling pin then unroll it over the tart pan.
• Gently but firmly press the bottom and edges of the pastry dough with your fingertips so that it adheres to the pan. Roll the rolling pin over the edges, then with a sharp knife cut the excess dough and add it to the third you have set aside. Lastly, prick the bottom of the dough lightly with a fork.

• Pour the zucchini mixture onto the bottom.
• Now roll out the remaining dough, to get the classic strips of dough that we are going to place on the filling to form the typical diamond shape lattice of the crostata.
• Place on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until lightly golden.

• Then, transfer the pan onto a rack and let the savory crostata cool completely before unmolding and slicing.

Variations on the theme

• Obviously, I highly recommend you try my homemade savory tart crust recipe, however, if short on time, an all-butter store-bought puff pastry works fine.
• As for the filling, kale, broccoli, spinach, mushrooms, would all work well in place of the zucchini. You can add the mushrooms and spinach raw, although, for the broccoli, I suggest you blanche them first.
• If you want to make it lacto-ovo vegetarian, omit the prosciutto and Parmigiano, and maybe replace with feta for the saltiness.

After taking a bite of this amazing savory crostata, there is only one way to describe it:

D-delicate

E-exquisite

L-loving

I-incredible

C-comforting

I-intriguing

O-over the top

U-unbelievable

S-scrumptious

Let's get down to it

The crust is so flaky and has that beautiful buttery flavor. What a perfect foundation for the creamy, rich, luscious egg and cream filling, accompanied by that tender sweet zucchini, and kicked up with the oregano, basil, garlic, and Parmigiano! I love how those prosciutto bits tantalize your taste buds with their saltiness. As a whole, this Savory Crostata with Zucchini and Prosciutto is delightful and well balanced. Loreto even ate it cold the next day and said it was just amazing!

Hope you try it and let us know how you liked it!

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