spring and anchovies.

France, 2009

Few years ago, I was set on a quest to understand French cooking.

My partner in crime and myself rented a car and drove around France’s countryside to find those family owned boulangeries, restaurants, pâtisseries

 and anything in between!

Much to our disappointment, it wasn’t really as we expected it to be. Our dreams of what we will find were apparently bigger then what reality had to offer. One thing that did struck a cord with us. The power of simplicity.

We found so much

Beauty, purity and clarity

in the raw ingredients and the beautiful produce.

We still find our self reminiscing about those gorgeous cep mushrooms we sautéed with butter and a touch of salt at one of the farm houses we stayed at.

As am trying to repress the freezing cold, I bring you a recipe inspired by the beautiful countryside of Provence, France and by thoughts of spring.

A Provincial Pastry

600g puff pastry

2 dark green zucchini

2 yellow zucchini

2 tbsp. olive tapenade

Course salt

Olive oil

2 tsp. dried oregano

Fresh basil

Cherry tomato slices

Grated Parmesan

Cut the puff pastry to a rectangular,

40cm x 24cm, and place on a baking tray covered with parchment paper. Using a sharp knife, score a ‘frame’ around the edges of the rectangular, 1.5cm in width. Make sure you don’t cut the puff pastry all the way down. Use a fork to mark the dough inside the ‘frame’ we have just created

(That will make sure that the dough wont puff inside the frame just outside of it.

Spread the tapenade inside the frame.

Use a mandolin, to slice the zucchini, and place them in rows, in alternate color. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle salt and oregano.

Bake in a preheated 200c oven for 40 minutes. Until the pastry get a nice golden color.

Let cool slightly, sprinkle the Parmesan, and place the tomato slices and fresh basil leaves.