Zucchini Pizza Crust With Lemony Pea Pesto Recipes

ZUCCHINI PIZZA WITH BASIL MINT PESTO

Steps:

• For the pizza dough: Mix together the flour, salt and yeast in a bowl, then stir in 350 grams (1 1/2 cups) water until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and put it down for an 18- to 24-hour nap at room temperature until it's doubled in sized and bubbling.
• For the pizza toppings: Preheat the grill with a pizza stone over medium-high heat. (If you don't have a pizza stone, you can use a baking sheet.)
• Combine the pine nuts, garlic, basil, mint, crushed red pepper, juice of half a lemon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, a few turns of black pepper and the Parmesan in a food processor and pulse to a coarse crumb. With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired.
• Divide the pizza dough in half. On a floured pizza peel or baking sheet, flatten out one half of the dough into a 10- to 11-inch round. Spread with a thin layer of the pesto and top with half of the mozzarella. Bring it out to the grill. Grill the zucchini and remaining lemon half on the grates until charred, a few minutes. Add half the zucchini to the pizza and slide it onto the pizza stone. Close the grill and cook until the bottom is browned and cheese is melty, 6 to 9 minutes. Drizzle with more pesto, squeeze with juice from the charred lemon and add more Parmesan, crushed red pepper and basil and serve.
• Repeat with the other half of the pizza dough and ingredients.

ZUCCHINI PIZZA CRUST WITH LEMONY PEA PESTO

Steps:

• Quick-thaw the peas by blanching in boiling water for 3 minutes or microwaving until soft. In a food processor or high-speed blender, combine the peas, pine nuts, garlic, oil, water, hemp seeds, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste and pulse until the mixture is well combined and thick. Adjust seasonings to taste. Store in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
• Place the grated zucchini in a strainer, sprinkle the salt on top, and gently toss until the salt is distributed. Allow the zucchini to sit and sweat excess moisture for 45 to 60 minutes.
• Transfer the zucchini from the strainer to a nut-milk bag or cheesecloth. Wrapping the cloth around the zucchini entirely, use your hands to squeeze out any excess liquid. Repeat the process until the zucchini no longer releases liquid. Place the zucchini in a large bowl and add the flours, eggs, garlic, nutritional yeast, oregano, red pepper flakes, and black pepper to taste. Stir to combine well.
• Position one rack in the middle of the oven and another in the top position. Place a pizza stone (for a crispier crust) or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper on the middle rack. Preheat the oven to 500ºF. Place a large piece of parchment paper on a clean countertop and drizzle it with olive oil. Spread the zucchini dough onto the parchment paper and form the dough into a large 10-inch round or oval, about 1/2 inch thick.
• Transfer the dough from the parchment paper directly to the hot pizza stone or lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Flip the pizza crust over and bake for an additional 10 minutes, until the crust is firm-crisp.
• Carefully remove the crust from the oven, spoon on the pesto to the desired thickness, and bake on the top rack for 5 to 7 minutes, until the pesto is warm. Remove from the oven. Top with garnishes, if desired, and serve immediately.

ZUCCHINI-PESTO PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Brush large cookie sheet or pizza stone with oil. Place crust on prepared pan.
• Seed and slice tomatoes and place on a towel. Sprinkle with salt and let stand 10 minutes. (I skipped the salt on tomatoes--it's salty enough to me without).
• Spread pesto on crust. Blot tomatoes and place on pesto.
• Top with thinly sliced zucchini and summer squash, remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, grated Pecorino cheese, and pepper.
• Bake 15 minutes or until zucchini is tender. Grate peel of lemon over pizza. Top with fresh mint leaves, chopped.

ZUCCHINI CRUST PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°. In a large bowl, combine first 4 ingredients; stir in 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Transfer to a 12-in. pizza pan coated generously with cooking spray; spread to an 11-in. circle., Bake until golden brown, 13-16 minutes. Reduce oven setting to 400°. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese; top with tomatoes, onion, pepper, herbs and remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake until edges are golden brown and cheese is melted, 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped fresh basil, if desired.

ZUCCHINI, RICOTTA AND LEMON PIZZA

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 475 degrees F. Lightly coat a pizza pan or stone with nonstick cooking spray and put on the rack. (If you don't have a pizza peel or a way to transfer the pizza, skip placing the pan in the oven to preheat and prepare the pizza right on the pan.)
• Toss the zucchini ribbons with 1/8 teaspoon salt and place in a colander over the sink. Let drain for 15 minutes to remove excess water. Pat the zucchini dry with a paper towel or kitchen towel. Toss with 1 tablespoon lemon juice, half of the zest and 1 teaspoon olive oil and set aside.
• Wrap the tomato slices in a paper towel and gently press down, removing excess water. Set aside.
• Stretch the pizza dough into a round large enough to fit on the pizza pan (or directly on the pan, if not using a pizza peel). Whisk together the ricotta, chives, remaining tablespoon lemon juice, remaining zest and 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
• Spread the ricotta over the prepared dough, leaving a small border for the crust. Evenly scatter the tomato slices and zucchini ribbons over the ricotta. Lightly drizzle with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan and additional chives.
• Bake until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve.