I feel like I have waited so long to enjoy zucchini. I’ve resisted buying out-of-season supermarket zucchini almost entirely, all year. Finally, it’s zucchini season and I’ve been inspired to find recipes that make the most of this prolific summer squash.  I was extra motivated when my mom sent me home this weekend with 5 gorgeous baby zucchini; just the way I like them, incredibly tender and not bitter in the slightest. In this dish the flavors of summer come together so naturally. Basil and zucchini pair beautifully as a unique low-on-carbs pizza. The crust is flavorful, slightly chewy and sits so lightly in the stomach. Not to mention easy! This is one of those dinners that can be put together in less than 3o minutes and popped right into the oven. My babies devoured theirs although my daughter picked off her pepperoni pieces declaring them too spicy. My son picked his pepperoni off the top too but he was just eating the best part first! This could easily be the main dish in a summer meal especially when topped with bits of meat. The toppings are easily varied, cheeses, peppers, onions, sautéed mushrooms, spinach, bacon, tomatoes etc. This recipe has been adapted to my tastes from one of the first editions of a Moosewood cookbook. They were really on to some delicious food back then–when people were less afraid of adding fat for unmatchable flavor!

Ingredients:

4 small zucchini, enough to equal about 3 1/2-4 cups

3 eggs

1/3 cup whole wheat flour (or spelt)

1/2 cup grated romano, parmesan, or Asiago cheese

1/2 cup grated mozzarella

1-2 large cloves garlic

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. basil or 1/2 tsp. dried basil or 1-2 Tbsp. basil pesto

Salt, pepper

Favorite pizza toppings, various cheeses, meats, veggies, olives

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º.

1. Grate the zucchini coarsely and salt it lightly. Mix well and leave in a strainer around 15 minutes.

2. Mix flour, eggs, cheeses, olive oil, garlic, and basil. Finely chop or mince the basil and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Squeeze all excess moisture out of the zucchini and mix with the other crust ingredients.

4. Oil a rimmed baking sheet liberally. Spread the crust onto the pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the crust is firm and dry to the touch.

5. Add all your favorite toppings; I used mozzarella, pepperoni, sautéed (lightly salted) baby Portobello mushrooms, and black olives. I also made my own pizza sauce a few hours in advance to meld the sauce flavors. ( 1 can tomato paste mixed with: 3/4 cup water, 1 tsp. honey, pinch red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp each oregano, basil, and marjoram, 1/4 minced onion, and 1 large clove minced garlic.)

6. Bake at 400º until the cheese is bubbling and hot, around 15 minutes. 

Here is Eden when I served her…and Elliot deep into tearing his pizza apart.

17 Jul This entry was published on July 17, 2012 at 12:17 am and is filed under Main Dishes, Recipes by Season, Summer. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post.