Zucchini Pizza with Basil

In this summery pizza, omitting the usual tomato sauce allows the delicate flavor of the squash to shine through. If you can’t find ricotta salata, a mild Italian sheep’s milk cheese, pecorino romano makes a good substitute. The recipe was created for the Breville pizza maker. To bake the pizza in a standard oven, place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C). Roll out the dough as directed below, but don’t prick it with a fork. Add the toppings and bake on the pizza stone for 10 to 12 minutes.

 

Zucchini Pizza with Basil

 

1 zucchini, thinly sliced

1 yellow summer squash, thinly sliced

1 Tbs. olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 batch thin-crust pizza dough

2 cups (8 oz./250 g) shredded mozzarella cheese

Ricotta salata for shaving

20 basil leaves, torn into pieces

 

Preheat a Breville pizza oven on the preheat setting for 30 minutes.

 

In a bowl, toss together the zucchini, yellow squash, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Let stand for 5 minutes, then drain off any excess liquid.

 

On a lightly floured surface, roll out half the dough into a 10-inch (25-cm) round. Prick the dough all over with the tines of a fork. Transfer the dough to a floured pizza peel and sprinkle evenly with half of the mozzarella. Top with half of the zucchini and yellow squash slices.

 

Transfer the pizza to the pizza maker. Bake on the classic setting according to the manufacturer’s instructions until the crust is crisp and the cheese is lightly browned, 10 to 11 minutes. Using the pizza peel, transfer the pizza to a cutting board.

 

Shave thin slices of ricotta salata over the pizza and sprinkle with half of the basil. Cut into slices and serve immediately. Repeat to cook the remaining pizza. Makes two 10-inch (25-cm) pizzas.

 

Williams-Sonoma Test Kitchen