Scarpaccia
Scarpaccia is a rustic Italian zucchini tart from Tuscany with a crispy cornmeal crust, fresh Parmesan, and garden herbs. This egg-free recipe bakes beautifully in cast iron for an even golden crust. Simple pantry ingredients, no eggs, no milk, and ready in about an hour of active time.
Servings: 8
Calories: 169kcal
Equipment
- 3.6 quart Dutch oven Or cast iron baking tray
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchinis thinly sliced
- 1 cup red onion thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper diced and sliced
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 ½ cups water +/- to desired consistency
Instructions
- Slice the zucchini and onion in very thin slices using a sharp knife or mandolin slicer. Place them in a large bowl, sprinkle with a little bit of salt, and mix.
- See notes section on removing moisture from the zucchini, select method and allot the time needed before resuming the recipe for best results.
- Place the zucchini and onions into a clean, thin kitchen towel (like a flour sack towel) or into cheesecloth and WRING it, squeezing out as much water as possible. (If desired, reserve the released water replacing water in the recipe.)
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Add the flour, cornmeal, salt, pepper, granulated garlic, basil, rosemary, and Parmesan cheese into another large bowl; mix it all together.
- Slowly add the water to the dry goods to make the batter to the consistency of pancake batter.
- If using decorative bell pepper rings for the topping, quickly dredge them into the batter, removing any excess batter, and set them aside. By the handful, stir in the zucchini, onions, and bell pepper into the batter.
- Line the cast iron with parchment paper (this makes for easy removal for serving.)
- Pour in the battered zucchini, pressing it firmly down and smoothing it across the top. Place the reserved bell pepper rings on top.
- Brush the entire top with the olive oil.
- Place it in the oven, UNCOVERED, and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top begins to brown.
Notes
- Slice thin or go home. Use a mandolin for paper-thin, uniform slices. Thick slices release moisture during baking and will not cook through.
- Do not skip the squeeze. After draining, wring the zucchini in a towel until barely any liquid comes out. This is the single biggest factor in getting a crispy tart.
- Adjust the water. Add water gradually to the batter. Your zucchini may have released more or less moisture. Aim for pancake batter consistency.
- Brush the top with olive oil. This promotes browning and adds crispiness to the surface.
- Let it rest 10-15 minutes before cutting. Cutting too soon lets steam escape and slices fall apart.
- Parchment paper is your friend. Line the cast iron with parchment for easy removal and clean slicing.
Nutrition
Calories: 169kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 500mg | Potassium: 266mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 684IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 169mg | Iron: 2mg
