Pizza (with Crust) made from Zucchini

I sliced 1/4 of a zucchini into very thin slices, which I set aside in case you want to add them to the pizza at the end. If not, this step can be skipped. I grated the rest of the zucchinis on the large-holed grater, then sprinkled a little salt on them and let them sit for about 5 minutes to draw out water. Then, I squeezed them well in my fist, removing the excess liquid.

After I finished with the zucchinis, I poured them into a glass container with a lid. If you don’t have a lid, cover the container with aluminum foil. I placed the container in a preheated oven at maximum for 5-10 minutes. The zucchinis are ready when, after lifting the lid, a slight steam is felt, indicating they have been heated properly. Those who prefer can use the microwave to speed up this process.

After I took the container out of the oven, I let the zucchinis cool without a lid, stirring them gently with a spoon to help them even out. In the meantime, I started preparing the mushrooms, zucchini slices, and tomato sauce. I placed the zucchini slices and sliced mushrooms on a baking tray lined with parchment paper in the preheated oven, leaving them until they softened and lost some liquid. Cooked or sautéed mushrooms can also be used, depending on personal preference.

For the tomato sauce, I put diced tomatoes into a saucepan, adding a little salt and freshly ground pepper. I let the sauce boil, stirring occasionally, until it thickened and the water evaporated. Those who wish can also add a clove of garlic or green parsley stems for extra flavor, which they will throw in at the end.

Once the zucchinis have cooled enough, I placed them on a kitchen towel, gathering them like a pouch, and squeezed them again. It is essential to be careful with the temperature of the zucchinis to avoid burning yourself. I obtained a considerable amount of liquid, and on the first squeeze, I got about half a cup, and now I got almost a cup more, leaving very little.

I transferred the squeezed zucchinis to a bowl and added salt, pepper, an egg, and grated cheese. Mixing with my hands, I obtained a homogeneous mixture, similar to that for meatballs. I prepared a baking tray with parchment paper, poured the mixture, pressed it down with my hand to give it a round shape, about 5 mm high, and baked it in the preheated oven at 190°C for about 20 minutes, until it started to brown slightly, but not completely.

Now is the ideal time to first add the boiled and cooled tomato sauce, followed by the cheese cubes, olives, zucchini slices, and mushrooms. Place everything back in the oven at maximum temperature, allowing the cheese to melt. After it has browned nicely, let the pizza cool a bit before cutting and serving. This zucchini pizza will bring a fresh taste and surprising texture, perfect for a delicious dinner!

 Ingredients: 4 zucchinis 15-20 cm long and 2.5 cm thick, about 100-150 g of softer cheese (I used 'primo sale') 1 egg 2 tablespoons of small cubes of the same cheese or mozzarella a few mushrooms a few pitted black olives cut in half 6 tablespoons of tomato pulp (canned) salt, pepper

 Tags:  eggs cheese tomatoes zucchini mushrooms olives pizza gluten-free recipes vegetarian recipes