Sourdough Scarpaccia (Tuscan Zucchini Tart)
This sourdough scarpaccia is a crispy tuscan zucchini tart made with thinly sliced zucchini, sweet onion, sourdough discard, Parmesan, and olive oil. Serve it warm with a simple salad for lunch and alongside grilled meat for dinner.
PIN THIS RECIPE!
Ingredients
For the zucchini
- 800 g zucchini very thinly sliced
- 1 medium sweet onion about 150 g, very thinly sliced
- 10 g fine sea salt about 1.5 teaspoons
For the batter
- 100 g sourdough discard 100% hydration
- 70 g all-purpose flour
- 35 g finely grated Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon italian herb mix optional, you can always also use fresh herbs of choice here! I like to keep them Italian inspired.
For topping
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Flaky salt optional
Instructions
- Place the thinly sliced zucchini and onion in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1.5 teaspoon of salt and toss well.Let sit for 45–60 minutes.The vegetables will soften and release a surprising amount of liquid.
- Transfer the vegetables to a clean kitchen towel and gently squeeze out most of the liquid.Don't squeeze them completely dry.Most importantly, reserve all of the zucchini liquid. You'll use it to make the batter.
- In a large bowl, whisk together sourdough discard, flour, Parmesan, olive oil, several grinds of black pepper, italian herbs, and about 100g of the reserved zucchini liquid until you have a smooth batter about the consistency of heavy cream or a loose pancake batter. You'll typically use around 100–120 g of liquid, but let the consistency guide you rather than the exact amount.
- Fold the zucchini and onions into the batter until every slice is lightly coated.The mixture should look like mostly vegetables with just enough batter to hold everything together, not like vegetables swimming in batter.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).Generously drizzle olive oil over the bottom of a 9×14-inch baking dish or sheet pan.Spread the zucchini mixture into an even layer about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick.Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and drizzle with a little more olive oil.
- Bake for 35–45 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.The scarpaccia is ready when the edges are deep golden brown and crisp, the top is nicely browned, and the zucchini has lightly caramelized.If needed, broil for the final 1–2 minutes to deepen the color, watching carefully to prevent burning.Let cool for 10–15 minutes before slicing.Serve warm or at room temperature with a crisp green salad, grilled meats, or enjoy it on its own as a light lunch.
Notes
- Slice the zucchini as thinly as possible. A mandoline is ideal for this recipe and gives the most authentic texture, but a very sharp knife works too. Aim for slices about 1–2 mm (1/16 inch) thick. Thin slices soften quickly, release more moisture during salting, and crisp beautifully in the oven. Thicker slices can leave the scarpaccia watery and won't caramelize as evenly.
- Don't skip salting the zucchini. This step concentrates the flavor and prevents a watery scarpaccia.
- Use the zucchini liquid instead of water whenever possible. It adds more flavor and keeps the recipe true to the traditional method.
- Don't be afraid of deep browning. The crispy, caramelized edges are one of the best parts of scarpaccia.
Tried this recipe?Please consider Leaving a Review!
Nutrition
Calories: 131kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 687mg | Potassium: 374mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 295IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 1mg
