The Zucchini Pesto Pizza

This is another fun, at home, DIY pizza for the gardener or farmer’s market lover.  At this time of year, here in Florida, late crops of squash and melons are just finishing their run at the grocery.  If you have some zucchini and want to do something different with it, then this recipe is definitely for you.

You’ll need:

• Olive oil
• Cornmeal (about 2 tbs)
• Pizza dough (roughly 1 pound or 1 ball)
• 1 cup basil pesto (choose your favorite, homemade or from the store)
• 2 medium-sized zucchinis (sliced thin in rounds or ovals)
• 4 ounces of crumbled feta
• Black olives (oil-cured are best, from a can is OK)

Preheat your oven and stone/pan to 550F or as close as you can get it (some home ovens stop at 500 and that’s OK).  Roll, stretch, or otherwise shape your dough to fit the pan or stone.  Use flour on an easy surface to accomplish this so you can transfer it to the stone/pan later.  The back of a cookie sheet works well if you don’t have a cutting board or other surface large enough.  Make the dough as thin as you can without breaking it.  Somewhat thicker sides to make a crust is fine if you need to do this to make the center thin.

Your zucchini needs to be as thin as you can get it.  This can’t be stressed enough.  Thinner is better for this.  For those using a knife to do this, cutting at an angle to make ovals will likely prove easier.

Place those slices in a bowl with half your pesto (1/2 cup) and toss.  If you have a salad tosser or centrifuge, this will work great.  Otherwise, use your hands rather than implements so you don’t break up the zucchini much.

Spread the other 1/2 cup of pesto over the dough.  Overlap slices of zucchini on top of that to make a nice layer.  Sprinkle feta and olives on top of that.

Pull your stone/pan from the oven and lightly coat with olive oil.  If using a pan, sprinkle with cornmeal to make a thin layer.  With a stone, this is optional – if you want a “burnt” crust, don’t sprinkle; if you’d prefer a more crunchy, oil-infused crust, sprinkle.

Slide the pie onto the stone/pan and put back in the oven.  Bake for 8 minutes at 550, up to 15 if temperature is lower.  Check the crust at the 8 minute mark and see if it’s cooked through.  Remove it when it is.

Let cool for a couple of minutes, slice, and enjoy!  This pizza tastes great at room temperature as well, so you can cook it before hand and serve to guests later in the evening if you wish.