Herb Garden Zucchini Pizza
This summer zucchini pizza features zucchini two ways: roasted and raw! We love its range of textures and fresh flavor from summer herbs.
Author: Jeanine Donofrio
Serves: 3 to 4
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh pizza dough*
- 4 tiny pattypan squash, or 2 medium, cut into 1-inch pieces
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling and brushing
- ½ garlic clove, minced
- 1 (8-ounce) ball fresh mozzarella, not packed in water
- 8 tiny zucchini peeled into strips, or 1 medium sliced into paper-thin coins
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- Leaves of 4 sprigs fresh thyme, divided
- ⅓ cup fresh pesto (recipe below)
- ½ cup fresh basil
- Red pepper flakes
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Stretch the pizza dough onto a 14-inch pizza pan and par-bake the crust for 3 minutes.
- In a small bowl, toss the pattypan squash with a drizzle of olive oil, the minced garlic, and pinches of salt and pepper.
- Remove the dough from the oven, brush with some olive oil and sprinkle with a few pinches of salt. Spread torn pieces of mozzarella and the pattypan squash pieces evenly around the crust. Bake for 12 minutes, or until the edges of the crust are golden brown.
- Meanwhile (re-using the same bowl from above) toss the zucchini strips with a drizzle of olive oil, the lemon juice, leaves from 1 sprig of fresh thyme, and pinches of salt and pepper. Set aside to marinate.
- Remove the pizza from the oven and top with the remaining fresh thyme, the marinated raw zucchini, dollops of fresh pesto, and the basil. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with red pepper flakes. Serve with extra pesto on the side.
Notes
*Note: If I'm not using homemade dough, I like the multi-grain dough from Whole Foods.
Pesto
½ cup pepitas
1 small garlic clove
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cups fresh basil
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
In a small food processor, combine the pepitas, garlic, salt, and pepper and pulse until combined. Add the lemon juice and basil and pulse again. With the blade running, drizzle in the olive oil.
Pesto
½ cup pepitas
1 small garlic clove
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cups fresh basil
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
In a small food processor, combine the pepitas, garlic, salt, and pepper and pulse until combined. Add the lemon juice and basil and pulse again. With the blade running, drizzle in the olive oil.
Recipe by Love and Lemons at https://www.loveandlemons.com/zucchini-pizza/