Tuesday, August 25, 2009

I found a good way to use zucchini...

From N.

I don't garden, so an abundance of zucchini isn't an issue, but last week I took on everyone else's zucchini stress. I have read so many food stories about creative ways to use up zucchini from overflowing gardens that I got really worried when a friend bestowed a beautiful one from her garden.

I usually like to chop it up and put it into veggie enchiladas, but I wasn't in the mood. So I read every zucchini recipe I could find. In my scanning of a million zucchini recipes, I found one in Gourmet's cookbook for zucchini and portobello pizza with Robiola cheese and truffle oil. It sounded promising.

I couldn't find robiola cheese which is described as custardy, and substituted taleggio cheese, which is rich, creamy and slightly stinky (my favorite kind.) The recipe is simple. Clean out the gills from two portobello mushroom caps and dice along with one zucchini. Toss with salt and pepper. (And chopped chives if you have it.) Stretch out dough on baking sheet or pizza stone, drizzle olive oil on dough, spread the vegetables in a thick layer, and then add cheese. Bake at 450 until the crust is golden. Drizzle white truffle oil if you have it.

I was afraid the vegetables wouldn't cook in the short time in the oven, but they were tender, and with the creamy cheese and delectable truffle oil was quite perfect. I don't always make recipes again, but this one is going into the rotation. I've included my favorite pizza dough recipe from Gourmet below. (Tip: make it the night before and let it rise overnight in the fridge.)

Pizza Dough
Combine 1 tbl. flour with 1/4 c. warm water and one packet yeast. Wait until top looks creamy, about five minutes. Add to 1 1/4 c. flour, 2 tsp. olive oil, 2 tsp. salt, 1/2 c. warm water. Mix until combined. It will be very wet, add another 1/2 c. flour. Knead on floured board for eight minutes until elastic and smooth. Put back in floured bowl, add flour to top, cover with plastic wrap tucked around dough, let rise for 1 1/4 hour in warm place, or overnight in the fridge. Let warm before using. Stretch out on oiled baking sheet. Bake at 450 until golden, about 10-15 minutes.

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