Summer Vegetable and Pesto Tart

Summer is really slipping away from me this year. There are so many things I wanted to do that we haven’t had a chance to -- mostly because of the hot, humid, downright miserable weather we’ve been having in our part of the country. So I haven’t been able to take advantage of summer in the spending-all-day-outside, relishing-the-sun sort of way, but I have been enjoying this summer’s bounty of produce. I don’t know what it is (maybe it’s the humidity I just got done cursing), but this summer’s produce has been some of the best I can remember in recent memory. The sweet corn is so sweet, the tomatoes are so juicy, the zucchini is so...abundant. (Well. To be fair, zucchini is pretty much always abundant, right?)

This easy tart is the perfect dish to highlight summer’s bounty. Sauteed vegetables are tossed with pesto and piled on top of creamy goat cheese in a store-bought pie crust, then the whole thing is topped with tomatoes, a little bit of cheese, and fresh basil. There’s nothing not to love about this seasonal, fresh, flavorful tart. This meal is the perfect way to begin saying farewell to summer.

Summer Vegetable and Pesto Tart
source: adapted from Family Fun

1 refrigerated piecrust (half a 14.1-ounce package), at room temperature
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
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
Kernels cut from 1 ear of sweet corn
Coarse salt and pepper
2 tablespoons basil pesto
2 ounces fresh goat cheese, at room temperature
1 large egg
10 grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup shredded Italian-blend cheese
5 basil leaves, thinly sliced

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, red onion, 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 cheese and 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 cheese over the vegetables.

5. 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.