Name: Italian Scarpaccia (Zucchini Flatbread)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; 1 zucchini (7 – 8 inches), sliced very thin; 1/4 of a sweet onion, sliced; 2 – 3 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped; 1/2 cup whole wheat flour; 1/2 cup water; 2 2/3 Tablespoon corn meal; 1/4 teaspoon salt + freshly ground pepper (or to taste); 2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese; A small sprig of EACH: fresh rosemary & basil, chopped fine

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A delightful, crunch-chewy flatbread with authentic Italian garlic and herb flavors, you won’t want to stop munching on this savory Italian Scarpaccia. And it’s a great way to actually ENJOY using up some of that excess zucchini from the garden!

Not only is scarpaccia delicious on its own, it’s also great as an appetizer, a side dish, as a dipper for your soup, alongside eggs for breakfast or as a base for avocado toast or even pizza. This little flatbread (er, tart?) is so versatile and fun anytime of day.

After all the years of making soooo many things zucchini, I’m always surprised to stumble across a new use for this abundant summertime veggie. And yet, here it is! A recipe that’s been around for over 700 years. Where have I been?

There are many many variations of Scarpaccia, some with eggs, some without. Some are thicker, some are thin and crispy. Some people squeeze the water out of the zucchini first. Some shred the zucchini instead of slicing it. I adapted my recipe from Hungry Happens, where it’s very much a thin flatbread. And there’s no squeezing involved. I was a little tempted to throw in some of my sourdough starter, but I refrained this time. Because I wanted to taste the more authentic flavor of Scarpaccia. The onion and even the zucchini tastes a little caramelized in this version. SO. flipping. good!!!

I also discovered there’s even a sweet cousin to this savory version, called Scarpaccia Dolce. The dessert version. But I have to confess, I have not tried that one yet.

The History of Italian Scarpaccia

In her post for Scarpaccia Dolce, Memorie de Angelina shared quite a bit of the backstory of this delightful recipe. Funny enough, the name scarpaccia means “old shoe”. Although it’s a little uncertain WHY they might refer to this dish that way, Italian lore says a proper scarpaccia should be thin and a bit crusty, like an old shoe.

“Another story has it that scarpaccia goes back to Castruccio Castracani, the consul of Lucca and lord of a castle nearby the tiny village of Colognora. One day around the year 1300, short on victuals, he called on the local peasants for help. All he managed to coax out of them, though, were lots of surplus zucchini, some flour and a few eggs. With little alternative, Castracani ordered his cooks to just mix the peasants’ offerings together and cook them up. And so, they say, scarpaccia was born, made of poor and humble ingredients, just like an old shoe.”

If you’re wondering if there really were such a thing as zucchini back in 1300 in Italy, no, actually there weren’t. But there was something similar.

Regardless, I’m so happy I happened across this lovely recipe. And I really enjoyed learning about the history of the dish. But most of all, I enjoyed eating it! I could NOT stop munching once I pulled it out of the oven. I scarfed down several pieces before I get could get myself to slow down and stop to take pictures. So you might notice one side looks severed. Yeah, that was me. I hope you love it as much as I do!

Italian Scarpaccia (Zucchini Flatbread)

Author: Ann
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 min
Yield: 4 – 6 servings 1x
Category: Bread
Method: Baked
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

A thin, crun-chewy flatbread with thin slices of caramelized onion and zucchini, with parmesan, garlic and herbs.

Ingredients

Scale

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 zucchini (7 – 8 inches), sliced very thin
1/4 of a sweet onion, sliced
2 – 3 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup water
2 2/3 Tablespoon corn meal
1/4 teaspoon salt + freshly ground pepper (or to taste)
2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
A small sprig of EACH: fresh rosemary & basil, chopped fine

Instructions

Heat a frying pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and swoosh around to coat the bottom. Toss in the thin sliced zucchini, onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion and zucchini start to brown and caramelize (about 7 minutes).
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with silicon baking mat or parchment paper.
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the rest of the ingredients until it comes together into a thick batter. Stir in the zucchini/onion mixture. Add a little olive oil if needed. Taste the dough and add salt & pepper to your liking, if needed.
Oil your hands a bit, then pat the batter as thin and evenly as you possibly can, spreading it out on the prepared pan into a rectangular shape. You might need to move some of the zucchini slices to make them more evenly dispersed.
Bake at 350 F. for about 45 – 50 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into pieces and enjoy!

Notes

Using a mandolin to slice the zucchini works really well to get good, thin slices.

RECIPE SOURCE: Sumptuous Spoonfuls – https://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/ … © Copyright 2023, Sumptuous Spoonfuls. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to publish any of my images, please ask first. If you want to republish this recipe as your own, please re-write the recipe in your own words or link back to this post for the recipe.