Summer Zucchini Flatbread
Summer Zucchini Flatbread
Zucchini makes the perfect ‘crust’ for this summer dish! Fresh zucchini slices loaded with your favorite pizza toppings... sinfully delicious!! You won’t miss the crust! Low carb, gluten free and vegetarian too!!
Summer Zucchini Flatbread
Yield: 2 – 4 servings (depending on the size zucchini)
Ingredients:
1 medium fresh zucchini, vertically sliced
Olive oil or olive oil spray
1 cup bread crumbs, regular or gluten free
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Dash black pepper
1 cup jarred pasta or pizza sauce
Pizza toppings: 1/2-pound Italian chicken sausage, sliced onions, sweet peppers,
Sliced olives, diced tomatoes, sliced pepperoni, etc.!
1 cup shredded mozzarella
Equipment needed:
Cutting board
Chef knife
Measuring spoons
Half sheet baking pan
Bent edged spatula, preferably 4” wide or 6” long
I always wanted to try making a pizza with alternative crusts besides the recently popular cauliflower or gluten free varieties. In my garden I always grow zucchini and often harvest larger sized ones... What to do with them?? I also LOVE Eggplant Parmesan too!! Why not a zucchini-style combination of the two?? Well, this recipe is exactly that... sliced, lightly breaded zucchini topped with sauce and all your favorite pizza toppings... Simple as that! I may sound excited... but this recipe is fabulous and helps the person following a gluten free or low carbdiet too. Can also be vegetarian or vegan depending on your topping selections... so grab your zucchini and lets getting cooking!
Preheat oven to 400 F.
I’m all about efficiency while cooking, so before the assembling process prepare all of your ingredients! Slice the zucchini, if you’re using sausage... fry it! Cut all the vegetables fairly small so they stay on the zucchini and you can fit a little of everything. I use chicken or turkey sausage and often purchase it precooked, but this time I decided to slice my sausage into rounds instead of removing it from the skins. Adds extra meal appeal with a different shape too! Combine the bread crumbs and seasonings and spread them out on a dinner platter. Lightly coat the slices of zucchini with olive oil or spray and dredge with crumbs. (I tried this recipe without breading the zucchini and found it less appealing and rather soggy... you can skip that step if you like... up to you) Spray or drizzle half sheet baking pan with a bit more olive oil and place zucchini on top. Place breaded zucchini into preheated 400 F oven for 10 minutes. Using a wide edged spatula, carefully flip zucchini slices to other side and bake again for about 8 minutes, or until slightly golden.
So, while your zucchini is baking, prepare whatever other toppings you plan on using on top ofyour flatbreads. I actually made a variety... three slices with sausage and all the toppings andtwo with only veggies. Each person can make what they want!! Slice the onions thinly and small dice the other vegetables too so they soften a bit in the final baking.
Now you are ready to create your flatbreads!! After you have removed the zucchini slices fromthe oven, remember the pan will be very hot ... so be careful! Spoon a few tablespoons of sauce over each slice to coat well. Sauce is flavor!! Place topping on slices, beginning with your choice of meat. Then depending on what your selection of toppings are, place the larger sized vegetables on the bottom, ending with olives & fresh tomatoes. Push the zucchini flatbreads close together before adding cheese. This will prevent losing cheese to the pan! Generously sprinkle tops with grated cheese and YOU ARE READY TO BAKE!! Place pan back into the oven for 15 – 20 minutes or cheese is melted and golden!
Oh my... doesn’t your dinner look fabulous? Remove flatbreads from pan ... carefully... Using a wide or long bent edged spatula. Serve with a salad… Like my Classic Caesar Salad. Garnish with fresh parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes...ENJOY!!