I shared this recipe for Zucchini and Cheddar Pizza in last Wednesday’s column for the Cincinnati Enquirer, which suggested three ideas for using that summertime glut of zucchini. Anyone who’s ever grown zucchini knows the Height of Summer Zucchini Problem, and the usual solution is zucchini bread, which is all well and good, but then you end up with too much zucchini bread.
I adapted this recipe from Smitten Kitchen, whose original used gruyère instead of cheddar (a fine substitution) and called for a larger baking pan. This cheesy zucchini pizza is supereasy to put together, inexpensive to make, and downright delicious for dinner with a big plate of sliced tomatoes. And it’s tasty at room temp for lunch the next day.
Zucchini and Cheddar Pizza
serves 4
1 lb. pizza dough
3 large zucchini (green and/or yellow), ends trimmed
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
8 ounces sharp cheddar
Freshly ground pepper or red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
Preheat oven to 500°; if you have a pizza stone, place it on the center rack to preheat. Rub a 10.5-inch-by-15.5-inch rimmed sheet pan with olive oil. Using oiled fingertips, press and stretch the dough into the pan, pinching together any holes that form.
In a food processor fitted with the large shredding blade, shred the zucchini; you’ll have about packed 4 cups. Use the same to shred the cheddar. In a colander, toss together the zucchini and salt; let stand 30 minutes or more to release liquid from zucchini. With your hands and some paper towels, squeeze the zucchini as dry as possible; transfer to a large bowl and add the cheddar, tossing to combine. Add pepper or red pepper flakes to taste. Spread the zucchini-cheddar mixture evenly on the dough from edge to edge. Sprinkle breadcrumbs evenly over zucchini. Place the pan on top of the pizza stone; bake 25–30 minutes, until the pizza is deeply golden on top. Cut into squares.
