Zucchini Roni Pizza Food

ZUCCHINI PIZZA BITES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
• Slice the zucchini 1/4-inch thick; you should get about 24 slices. Place the slices on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Top each slice with 1/2 teaspoon marinara sauce and 1 teaspoon mozzarella.
• Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 8 minutes.

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 AND CARAMELIZED-ONION PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with a rack in lower third. Heat 2 tablespoonsoil in a skillet over medium-high. Add onions and garlic;cook, stirring frequently, until onions are soft and golden, about10 minutes. Meanwhile, brush a 13-by-18-inch rimmed bakingsheet with 2 tablespoons oil. Place dough on center of sheet and,using your hands, stretch and fit it to edges.
• Toss zucchini with remaining 1 tablespoon oil; season with saltand pepper. Spread onion mixture evenly over dough, leaving a1/2-inch border. Top with zucchini; sprinkle with feta.
• Bake until crust is golden brown and zucchini is tender, about25 minutes. Top with olives and mint; sprinkle with red-pepperflakes. Cut into pieces and serve.

PEPPERNONI PIZZA AND ANTIPAST-NO MEAT SALAD

Steps:

• For the zucchini: Preheat the oven to 525 to 550 degrees F (as high as it goes) with rack at center. Preheat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium to medium-high heat, to aid in a crispy bottom crust while pizza is in oven.
• Gather your ingredients. Thinly slice the zucchini (think pepperoni sausage) and add to strainer. Season with salt, let drain 15 minutes, then pat dry on towel.
• In a small bowl, combine spices. Add it to the zucchini and toss to combine.
• For the sauce: In a food processor, combine ingredients for sauce and puree.
• For the pizza: Roll and stretch dough on lightly floured surface into a 12- to 14-inch even round that will cover pan. (Place some AP flour in a squeeze bottle for flouring counter to roll out dough. I use this tip at home.) Turn off heat under skillet and sprinkle a little cornmeal or semolina in skillet. Press dough into hot skillet and up sides as much as possible. Reminder: The pan is hot. Brush or spray the dough with EVOO and season with a little salt and pepper or red pepper flakes. Top the dough with sauce, half the zucchini, cheese and remaining zucchini, then place pizza in oven.
• Bake 10 to 12 minutes to deep golden, brown and bubbly.
• Use a funnel to fill a squirt bottle with honey and Calabrian chile paste. Run under hot tap water to loosen when using. Hot honey will keep for months in pantry and is great with cheeses for snacking and fried foods as well as pizza, of course.
• Drizzle the pizza with the hot honey mixture and top with basil and oregano. Serve with Vegetable Antipasti Salad.
• To a mixer with dough hook attached add warm water and yeast and let the yeast bloom and foam, 5 minutes. Add EVOO, honey and salt and turn on mixer. Add the flour gradually to form dough, then transfer to a bowl drizzled with a little EVOO and cover, let stand 1 hour. Cut dough in half, wrap half the dough and freeze for later use. Roll and press remaining dough on floured surface to 12-inch round.
• Gather ingredients.
• Thinly slice fennel. Chop and combine lettuce, celery, onions, parsley and torn basil, arrange on a platter.
• Combine dressing ingredients (EVOO, vinegar, dried herbs and spices, sugar or honey and lemon juice) in squirt bottle, small jar or bowl, then season with salt and pepper to combine.
• Slice the peppers into strips, quarter the artichoke hearts, thinly slice the hot cherry peppers. Arrange the vegetables and olives on the bed of salad. Shake up dressing and top evenly over salad to serve.

ZUCCHINI SNACK PIZZAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cut the zucchini horizontally or severely on the bias about 1/3 inch thick. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Either roast on baking sheet in oven for about 10 minutes or grill. Zucchini strips should retain body and firmness.
• Sprinkle cooked zucchini with chopped tomato and mozzarella. Return to oven and allow cheese to melt, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with basil.
• Serve on plates with knives and forks, moms may have to cut pieces up.

MINI ZUCCHINI PIZZAS

Steps:

• Preheat broiler. Arrange zucchini in a single layer on a greased baking sheet. Broil 3-4 in. from heat just until crisp-tender, 1-2 minutes per side., Sprinkle zucchini with salt and pepper; top with sauce, cheese and pepperoni. Broil until cheese is melted, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with basil.