Zucchini Scarpaccia

This simple, rustic, Italian tart is a delicious way to use up that zucchini in your garden. Garnished with fresh basil, it’s a summertime dish that can be served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Jul 23, 2024

If your garden is overflowing with zucchini, I have a unique and delicious way to use it – zucchini scarpaccia. Often described as a rustic Italian tart, zucchini scarpaccia typically contains thinly sliced zucchini and onion that’s folded into a simple batter made with flour, cornmeal, eggs, milk, cheese, and fresh herbs. Once baked, the top of this thin tart becomes somewhat crisp while the inside remains moist and tender.

One thing I love about this dish is that it’s packed with vegetables. While a traditional scarpaccia recipe contains zucchini and onion, it can also be made with summer (yellow) squash, mushrooms, corn, tomatoes (fresh or sun-dried), or red bell pepper.

No matter what vegetables you use, it’s important to draw out as much moisture as possible from them before they’re added to the batter. This keeps the tart from becoming soggy once it’s baked. A lot of scarpaccia recipes call for liberally salting the zucchini slices and letting them sit in a colander to remove excess moisture. In an effort to keep the sodium content in check, I prefer sautéing the zucchini in a little olive oil until the moisture is released and has evaporated from the pan.

Zucchini scarpaccia can be served warm or cold. Enjoy a slice at breakfast alongside poached or scrambled eggs, at lunch with a simple tossed salad, or for dinner as a vegetable side dish. You can even cut it into smaller pieces and serve it as an appetizer with a marinara dipping sauce; the possibilities are endless.

To your health,

Darlene

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ZUCCHINI SCARPACCIA

Yield: 9 servings

Serving Size: 1 slice

Prep: 20 minutes

Ready: 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Vegetable oil cooking spray
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 cups thinly sliced zucchini (about 2 medium zucchini)
1 cup sliced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup 1% milk
1 large egg
1/3 cup (3/4 ounce) grated parmesan cheese
Fresh basil leaves for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously coat a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
Add 2 tablespoons oil to a large skillet and warm over medium heat. Add zucchini, onion, and garlic and sauté for 6 to 8 minutes, or until moisture from vegetables has evaporated. Remove skillet from heat, add oregano, salt, and pepper and gently stir to combine. Allow vegetables to cool in pan while preparing remaining ingredients.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and cornmeal. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together milk, egg, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Pour milk mixture into flour mixture and stir until just combined.
To the batter, add the sautéed zucchini mixture and gently fold. Transfer batter to prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle top with parmesan cheese and bake until the edges are golden brown and the middle is set, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve.

Nutrition Information per Serving

123 Calories, 6 g Total fat, 1 g Saturated fat, 0 g Trans fat, 22 mg Cholesterol, 210 mg Sodium, 14 g Total carbohydrate, 1 g Dietary fiber, 2 g Total sugars, 0 g Added sugars, 4 g Protein, 0 mcg (0%) Vitamin D, 53 mg (4%) Calcium, 1 mg (6%) Iron, 135 mg (2%) Potassium