Zucchini, Lemon, and Basil Pizza with Parmesan and Goat Cheese

I seem to be a glutton for punishment because I decided on a 90 degree day in Portland (with no air conditioning) I would bake a pizza at 450 degrees. All of my literal “slaving over the hot stove” became completely worth it though when I took a bite of this pizza. I chose my favorite summer ingredients to create a tangy, fresh, and savory new pizza combination. I will admit that it’s not for everyone, but definitely worth trying if you’re needing to change up your palette a bit!

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(makes 1 large pizza)

For dough:

½ tsp honey

1 cup warm water

1 packet of active dry yeast

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp garlic salt

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

Olive oil for bowl

Cornmeal for dusting pan

Toppings:

1 lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed

Half of a large zucchini (or two small ones), thinly sliced

8-10 fresh large basil leaves

Olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1/4 cup goat cheese crumbles

In a large bowl, stir together honey and warm water. Sprinkle yeast packet on top and let sit for 10 minutes or until foamy. Stir in olive oil and garlic salt. Stir in flours a half cup at a time and mix until dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Remove dough and form into a smooth ball. Coat the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl with olive oil and place dough back inside. Cover with a clean towel and place in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.

When there’s about 20 minutes left for the dough to rise, prep your other ingredients and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (232 degrees C) and sprinkle a large baking sheet or large sized pizza pan with cornmeal. I like to cover my baking sheet with parchment paper first and then sprinkle the cornmeal. It makes for easy clean up and one less thing to hand wash!

When dough is finished it should be doubled in size.

On a clean floured surface, punch down the dough, and knead for a couple of minutes. The dough is ready when you press a thumb into it and it springs back. Roll out dough as large as your pan. Carefully transfer dough onto prepared pan and either trim excess dough, if any, or roll to form a crust.

Add zucchini, lemon, and basil.

Drizzle with olive oil, top with cheeses, and season with freshly ground pepper.

Place in the oven to bake for 8-10 minutes or until cheese starts to brown on the edges. Remove the oven and let cool slightly. Slice it up and serve!