We love our homemade pizza but starting a low carb life style seemed to no longer be in our Friday Night plans, I searched for alternatives, tried cauliflower and it was meh. So I figured I was doomed to not have Friday Pizza Nights anymore. Then Kent discovered a Homemade Zucchini Pizza Crust and it was delicious.
Homemade Zucchini Crust
Living a low carb life style is a major change for me. Bread is like an aphrodisiac. The smell,the taste, the texture. Toasted, baked or fresh doesn’t matter I love it all. Loving it all got me to where I am today though, carrying a few extra pounds. The first two weeks were tough but I am used to it now. I wasn’t prepared to give up everything for always but finding suitable substitutes, well that was a requirement.
I made cauliflower bread and it was OK. One of the issues with that was cauiflower, not a huge fan. So when Kent mentioned trying out zucchini crust I was totally good with it. I actually love zucchini and use it in cakes and muffins plus on its own.
Adapting the Zucchini Crust
There are truly a ton of recipes out there, most of them are virtually identical. The addition of spices, more cheese, less cheese you name it there is a recipe that covers it. My issue was texture or crispness. We opted to ignore all the recipe recommendations and tested different times.
I am going to be totally frank, this is not a quick recipe. Most people tell you 20 minutes tops, I say uh uh. 20 minutes per side is perfect plus an additional 20 after you add the toppings. That is the amount of time you need.
Zucchini Pizza Toppings
Pizza toppings help make your pizza your own. Kent usually opts for pepperoni, prosciutto and similar meats, hot peppers and mushrooms. Me, well I am a chicken, tomatos and goat cheese gal at times. Today we split a pizza and each got exactly what we wanted.
My Zucchini Recipe
The perfect sunstitute for regular pizza. Allow yourself a decadent treat with almost no carbs
This zucchini crust will make you forget all about the "other" crusts in your life
- 2-3 medium zucchini about 1½ cup shredded
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour or whole wheat or bread crumbs
- ½ cup low-fat shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese optional
- 2 large egg
- Pre-heat oven to 450F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray paper with cooking spray; set aside.
- Place shredded zucchini on a plate lined with a few layers of paper towel. Sprinkle with one tablespoon of salt. Set aside for 10 minutes. Squeeze the excess moisture out of the zucchini by wrapping it up in the paper towels or clean cheese cloth and squeezing out all the excess water.
- In a medium bowl, combine the shredded zucchini, flour, egg, cheese and Italian spices. Combine mixture with a spoon until fully incorporated then transfer mixture on to greased parchment paper. Press the dough into the desired shape and thickness (we like ¼'' thickness) on the greased parchment paper.
- Bake for about 20 minutes each side until the crust looks set and the bottom is starting to brown.
- Carefully remove the pizza crust from the oven and top with sauce, cheese, and toppings if desired.
- Turn down oven to 400F Return to oven and bake for another 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
make sure you have cheesecloth on hand to help reduce the moisture.
Products I use (or Kent uses) for Pizza Making
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