Zucchini-Crusted Pizza

When I was asked to make this, I didn't know from where to start. After skirting around the assignment for a while, the inevitable arrived. It was time to submit my recipe and photos. Being the birthplace of pizza, Italy only has the traditional pizza crust, differing from thick or thin crust.  Zucchini is an unexpected ingredient to use and so I finally settled myself in front of the computer and started to learn about using zucchini as pizza crust.

There are different ways I read at the internet and my main worry was that it wouldn't stay together enough to make a solid crust because zucchini is a vegetable that releases its water while cooking. If I bake it as is, I was quite sure that the crust will become watery. And I don't want that to happen. I was thinking whether to sautè it first or squeeze out the liquid by mixing it with coarse salt, just like how I go about with some vegetables. And since I wanted to keep it as healthy as possible, I decided to go for mixing it with salt to send out the liquid.

Like any good pizza, the toppings matter a lot for the flavors while a well-done crust makes digestion easy. My husband taught me that a good crust shouldn't make you very thirsty hours after eating because it means that it wasn't given time to rise well. It was a strange way to check out good pizzas but I did understand his point after having pizzas that made me very thirsty afterwards and well, digestion took longer too.

So here it is, a crust made of squeezed zucchini that is basically mixed with eggs and flour. It has a frittata-like taste and it doesn't become as crunchy as a regular pizza crust but it is definitely 100% healthy and light. I topped it with my favorite pizza topping, something I learned from my parents-in-law when I just arrived in Italy. I continue to do it because of its simplicity and delicious flavors. You can make your own marinara sauce which I always do, or buy your favorite bottled one. The protagonist of this pizza is the marinara sauce so make it tasty and good. Don't forget the dried oregano (Sicilian ones are my favorite), Pecorino cheese and Parmigiano Reggiano (or skip the Pecorino if you cannot find it) and good mozzarella. Enjoy this zucchini pizza!

I made this Zucchini-Crusted Pizza recipe for Skinny Ms., a site dedicated to healthy living. You can click on this link to get it there or you can also just scroll down.

 

Zucchini Crusted Pizza

Yields 4 servings
Ingredients:

• 2 cups shredded zucchini (from 2 large zucchinis)
• 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt or sea salt
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 egg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup marinara sauce (store-bought or make your own with the recipe below)
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup (grated) skim mozzarella
• Marinara Sauce (optional)
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 anchovy fillet
• 1 tablespoon Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 (14.5-ounce) canned tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the zucchini with the coarse salt and leave for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
3. After the 30 minutes, drain the liquid from the zucchini then press the zucchini in a sieve to drain the remaining liquid.
4. In a medium bowl, combine the zucchini, flour, 1 tablespoon Parmesan, egg, pepper, and oregano. Using a 12-inch non-stick pizza pan or a baking sheet, spray or brush on a thin layer of olive oil. Pour the zucchini batter in the center and spread over the surface of the baking pan.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the crust becomes golden on the edges. Remove the crust, then lower the heat to 400 degrees F.
6. Pour the marinara sauce in the center of the crust and evenly spread just before reaching the edges. Evenly distribute the mozzarella on top then sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.
7. Bake for 5 minutes or until the mozzarella has melted. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and serve.

To make the optional marinara sauce:

1. Over medium heat, in a saucepan with olive oil, sauté the anchovy and the garlic until golden. 
2. Pour in the canned tomatoes and cook on medium-low heat for 15 - 20 minutes. 
3. At the end of cooking, add the salt, pepper, and oregano. Remove the smashed garlic clove. Cover to keep warm until ready to use.

More Pizza Recipes:

Margherita Pizza with Rice Crust  

Pizza Margherita Muffins  

French Fry & Hotdog Pizza