Ricotta, lemon, basil & zucchini tart

A ricotta, lemon, basil & zucchini tart  (inspired by Julius Roberts, and the gentle art of not overthinking it.)

This tart wasn’t planned, but then, neither are most of my favorite things lately.

It came from a quiet craving and a little scroll through Julius Roberts’ feed, you know the one: goats grazing in golden fields, cast iron pans steaming on outdoor stoves, his food always looking a bit too good to have been made barefoot, in a wool jumper, somewhere on a rainy English hillside.

He’d made a tart. Simple. Honest. The sort of thing you could make when there’s not much in the fridge but your stomach says, “Let’s not settle.”

And I followed the feeling.

A sheet of puff pastry. Ricotta, soft, calm, and open to suggestion. Lemon zest for sharpness. Basil, slightly bruised, but still fragrant. Zucchini, sliced like ribbons, was laid down loosely over it all, not perfectly, but tenderly.

The oven gave it its blessing: bubbling cheese, golden corners, and a smell like summer turning gently into autumn.

And when I ate it standing, barefoot, by the window. I thought, this is exactly the kind of food Julius would make. Not because it’s fancy, but because it isn’t. Because it’s beautiful in its simplicity. Because it knows what it is.

The kind of tart that doesn’t need a reason. Just make it.

• 1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed

   

• 1 cup ricotta
  

• Zest of 1 lemon

   

• A handful of fresh basil, finely chopped

   

• 2 small zucchini, thinly sliced (use a mandoline or vegetable peeler)

   

• Olive oil, for drizzling

   

• Salt & black pepper

   

• Optional: grated Parmesan or Gruyère for extra golden bubbling

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1. Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a baking tray with parchment.

    

2. In a bowl, mix the ricotta with lemon zest, basil, salt, pepper, and a little olive oil until smooth.

    

3. Roll out the puff pastry onto the tray. Lightly score a border around the edge, about 1 cm in.

    

4. Spread the ricotta mixture inside the border. Layer the zucchini ribbons on top; no need to be perfect.

    

5. Drizzle with a little more oil. Add cheese on top if you like.

    

6. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until puffed, golden, and bubbly.

    

Let it cool slightly. Or don’t.
Eat it warm, straight from the tray. Maybe share. Maybe not.

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