Zucchini scarpaccia
Zucchini scarpaccia is a classic vegetarian dish from Italian cuisine. Zucchini is not the only ingredient of this dish; you can often find onion in this vegetable delicacy, and of course, you can’t miss parmesan cheese and aromatic spices. The unique flavour of this Italian snack is given by Italian herbs, which can be added both fresh and dried. It can be basil, oregano, Provençal herbs or a mixture of herbs, for example, the classic mixture of Italian herbs.
Scarpaccia with parmesan and zucchini is great as a snack during the day. It is a quick lunch without meat, which tastes best fresh, right after baking, when the cake is the crispiest. It tastes great served on its own, but it can also be served with additions. A nice complement to this light dish will be all kinds of yoghurt-based sauces, which will emphasise the taste of the dish and add a creamy note to it.
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Ingredients for zucchini scarpaccia.
- 500 g zucchini
- 100 g red onion
- 1 and 1/4 teaspoons of salt
- 100 g polenta
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil
- 50 g rice flour
- 1 teaspoon of oregano
- 100 g parmesan cheese
- water
How to make zucchini scarpaccia.
Thinly slice the zucchini with the skin on a mandolin or with a sharp knife – this is a key step in making zucchini scarpaccia. Add a teaspoon of salt, mix, then place a plate on top of the zucchini and weigh it down with something heavy. Set aside for an hour to let the zucchini release its juice.
After an hour, place the zucchini on a clean kitchen towel, wrap it and squeeze out the excess liquid. Pour the liquid into a container and top up with water to 250 ml – this will be your base liquid for the mixture. In a large bowl, combine the polenta, rice flour, grated parmesan cheese, two tablespoons of olive oil, oregano, the remaining salt and the prepared liquid. Mix thoroughly to create a uniform mass for the scarpaccia.
Then add the onion, thinly sliced on a mandolin, the zucchini previously squeezed of excess juice and mix again. Set aside for 30 minutes for the ingredients to combine and the mass to acquire the right consistency.
Afterwards, place the mixture on a baking sheet lined with baking paper, spread evenly and drizzle with two tablespoons of olive oil. Bake in an oven preheated to 200 degrees Celsius for 42–45 minutes, until the scarpaccia is golden and crispy. After baking, it is worth waiting 5 minutes before slicing and serving. This perfect Italian meatless snack is great for dinner, a light lunch or as a healthy addition to main courses.
Good to know when making zucchini scarpaccia.
To obtain a crispy skin for the dish, the zucchini should be thoroughly squeezed of excess juice. This can be done using a kitchen towel or cheesecloth – this is a key step that allows you to achieve the perfect texture of the dish. Putting the zucchini in a colander will not give you the same effect because you will not be able to squeeze the juice from the zucchini as thoroughly.
Before putting the scarpaccia in the oven, you can drizzle extra virgin olive oil or sprinkle polenta over the top. Sprinkling the polenta will make the top of the dish even crispier. As I mentioned above, this dish tastes best right after preparation, when it is warm and crispy.
They can be heated in the oven, air fryer or in a pan. When heating in a pan or in the oven, it is worth turning the scarpaccia over after 2-3 minutes. That will give you an evenly crispy effect and a warm centre. This is one of those dishes that shows how delicious and aromatic simple Italian cuisine with vegetables can be.
Do you like zucchini dishes? If so, try our recipe for Cheese and zucchini muffins.
