When you’re overrun with zucchini, make pizza crust
You probably haven’t been inundated with zucchini yet because it’s too early in the season for friends and neighbours to be pawning off summer’s most bountiful backyard garden crop. However, since you can find plenty of the slender green squashes in most grocery stores, now is the time to perfect your recipe for a zucchini crust pizza.
It’s exactly what it sounds like — pizza made on a bed of shredded zucchini. Eggs, grated cheese and flour bind the crust together, and the pie can be topped with whatever you like — an assortment of chopped vegetables, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, tomato sauce and cheese and/or a simple sprinkling of grated Parmesan. I used glutenfree flour, but have also made the recipe many times with wholewheat and all-purpose flour.
Be sure to grease the pan well, or line it with parchment paper. The thinner you spread the zucchini crust, the quicker it will bake.
Zucchini Crust Pizza
Makes: Four servings
2 cups grated zucchini
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp basil
1/4 tsp oregano
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
Toppings: sliced tomato, extra mozzarella (sliced or grated), thinly sliced garlic or peppers, mushrooms, and sliced olives.
Preheat oven to 400 F. Spray a 10-inch pie pan or baking sheet with non-stick spray or grease with oil and coat lightly with flour.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together zucchini, eggs, flour, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, basil, oregano and 1 Tbsp olive oil.
Press crust into a greased pie plate or spread on a greased cookie sheet or pizza pan.
Bake for 20 minutes and then remove crust from oven.
Brush with remaining tablespoon olive oil.
Top with your favourite toppings and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned and crispy at the edges and the topping is heated through.