Scarpaccia (Italian vegetable flatbread)

It's zucchini season, and one of my favorite food creators, Pasta Grammar, just put out an intriguing, classic Italian zucchini recipe called scarpaccia. It's essentially a vegetable tart or flatbread, primarily made from zucchini and onion with just a tiny bit of flour to bind it together. It’s then baked to crispy perfection in the oven.

When I first saw the recipe, I was thrilled because I already had all the ingredients on hand, including copious zucchini. Whipping up a batch was quick and easy, and the result was mind-blowing. The small amount of flour miraculously holds everything together, creating a kind of giant oven fritter.

The possibilities are endless. You could use any sort of vegetable you want, and you can either thinly slice them like they did, or you could grate them for a more uniform texture. I'm really looking forward to playing around with this dish. Today, I'm planning to use the leftover slices to make a smoked salmon and tomato sandwich!

This flatbread is bound to become a staple snack or light meal in our house. It’s a fantastic way to incorporate more vegetables into your diet. 

This also works with chickpea flour for a high-protein, gluten-free version. In fact, in a bit of foreshadowing, I made something like this a few years ago using chickpea flour, and you can try that recipe here.

I hope this recipe helps you make the most of your zucchini surplus! Enjoy experimenting with different vegetable combinations and find your favorite version of scarpaccia.

Scarpaccia

2 lbs zucchini, thinly sliced or grated
1 med onion, thinly sliced or grated

1 1/2 t Italian seasoning

1 1/2 t kosher salt
1 t garlic powder
black pepper and red pepper flakes to taste

1/2 cup grated Parmesan  (optional)

1 T olive oil

1 T lemon juice or red wine vinegar (optional, adds great tang and flavor)

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, or as needed

Either thinly slice or grate the zucchini and onion. Place veggies in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt and seasonings. Mix and set aside for 30 minutes to 2 hours. This will draw out the moisture from the vegetables, which will form the liquid for the batter. 

Preheat oven to 400. Prep a 9x13 or sheet pan with parchment paper and oil liberally. Use a smaller pan if you want a thicker flatbread, or a sheet pan for a thin flatbread (my preference). 

After veggies have released their liquid, add the remaining ingredients. You may need a little more or less flour than called for here. You are looking for a pancake batter like consistency. It will seem like you don't have enough batter to hold the bread together, but trust the process! 

Press the batter into the pan and bake for 40-50 minutes, until cooked through and beginning to get crispy. Sometimes I will flip the whole bread upside toward the end to get the bottom crispy too. 

Cut into squares and enjoy! Refrigerate leftovers and reheat in toaster oven or oven to get crispy again.