Italian Zucchini Scarpaccia
Scarpaccia is a kind of rustic Italian tart (from the Tuscany region), usually thin, extremely good and, by the way, vegan. For a long time I wanted to try this recipe and I knew the time had come when I picked about 4 zucchinis from the garden that needed to be used quickly and without too much work.
Usually, for scarpaccia you need zucchini flowers as well. I didn't have, so I made it without. We really liked the fact that it's thin and crispy, with a somewhat sweet taste, thanks to the zucchini and the ripe onion. Initially, I was thinking to make it a little thicker next time, but after I tasted it, I decided I still prefer it thin.
In terms of texture and taste, scarpaccia is very similar to zucchini pancakes, but a little crispier, much faster to prepare and without the eggs.
Wash the courgettes and cut into very thin slices. I'd recommend here a mandoline slicer, to get thin and uniform slices quickly and easily.
Add the onions, thinly sliced.
Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and a little ground black pepper.
Mix everything well with your hands for 5 minutes, until you notice the squash softens and starts to release water.
Move the vegetables into a colander, which is, then, placed in a bowl.
Arrange a plate over the zucchinis and add 1-2 kg of weight on top. Here I used 2 jars of tomato sauce for pasta and pizza.
Let sit like this for 2 hours on the kitchen table.
After this time, the zucchini juice will have drained into the bowl.
Add to this juice 120g of white flour, 40g of cornmeal and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Beat well with a whisk. If the batter is thick and dense, pour over about half a glass of water.
At the end, it should resemble a more liquid cream.
Pour this batter over the vegetables and mix very well.
Line a large oven sheet with baking paper, sprinkle and brush with olive oil.
Pour the scarpaccia mixture in the pan and spread evenly.
Also, it must be pressed thoroughly. You can use a spoon or, more easily, you can lay another sheet of parchment over the mixture and press with your palms.
Remove the parchment. See how even it is now.
Drizzle a little olive oil over the top.
Sprinkle with chopped rosemary, for a more authentic taste.
Bake in the preheated oven at 220 degrees C for 35-40 minutes or until it's nicely browned.
If your oven has a fan setting, you can turn it on, so the tart will be more crispy and delicious.
Let cool for at least 1 hour in the pan. Then, cut into squares and savour.
Enjoy!
