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Scarpaccia is an Italian zucchini tart full of fantastic flavor!
Every Italian family (and every non-Italian family for that matter!) needs a good Scarpaccia in their recipe collection. Scarpaccia is a delicious zucchini tart or flatbread with such fantastic flavors – we would eat this dish every week if we could!
Scarpaccia is a dish that originates from the Tuscan coastal areas around Viagreggio, an Italian city that Jack and I visited on our honeymoon. The name is loosely translated as meaning ‘bad shoe’ and some sources say this dish got its name because it bakes up as thin as the sole of a bad shoe! Other sources describe a ‘bad shoe’ as one that has been worn by many family members, and scarpaccia is a tart that you can put anything into – like a bad shoe.
Whichever definition you prefer, scarpaccia was traditionally baked during the zucchini season by retired sailors using the vegetables from their garden. Scarpaccia traditionally includes zucchini flowers – however most people don’t have access to that ingredient year-round, so we made ours with thinly sliced zucchini. (If you are able to find zucchini flowers, by all means add it – and just cut back a bit on the amount of sliced zucchini called for in this recipe.)
Scarpaccia can be made sweet or savory, thin or thick, crisp or soft – as long as the common ingredients of zucchini and flour are used. Our version – inspired by both Jack’s own family recipe, as well as a recipe we brought home from our honeymoon – has a touch of sweetness along with wonderful savory flavors from sundried tomatoes, basil and thyme and Parmesan cheese. It also has a bit of texture thanks to adding corn meal as well as the addition of pine nuts to the batter.
Served warm out of the oven with a side salad, this scarpaccia makes a truly wonderful lunch or dinner. Enjoy!
This post was originally published in May 2014.
You may enjoy these other Zucchini recipes:
- Best Zucchini Bread Ever
- Baked Zucchini Fries
- 30+ Recipes for Your Garden Zucchini
- Zucchini and Eggs (Cocozelle)
- Italian Zucchini Stew
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Scarpaccia
Scarpaccia is an Italian zucchini tart full of fantastic flavor!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds zucchini
- 1 red onion (about 1/2 pound)
- 2 cups tightly packed baby spinach
- 1 8.5–ounce jar sundried tomatoes in oil
- 1 cup pine nuts
- 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, plus one teaspoon for garnish
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups corn meal
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar (leave this out if you prefer!)
- Approximately 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (or enough to add to the oil drained from jar of sundried tomatoes to equal 1 full cup), plus more for drizzling
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prepare a 12X16 inch sheet pan by spraying with non-stick cooking spray.
- Slice zucchini into very thin slices and place in a large bowl. Slice red onion into very thin slices and add to zucchini. Also add baby spinach to bowl.
- Drain oil from sundried tomatoes into a cup measure and set oil aside. Cut tomatoes into quarters and add to bowl with other vegetables.
- Add pine nuts, basil, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, salt and pepper to the large bowl with vegetables and toss all ingredients together.
- In a separate smaller bowl mix flour, corn meal and baking powder. Add this to the large bowl and toss again to mix the ingredients.
- In that same smaller bowl, beat eggs and sugar and add to the large bowl, mixing into ingredients.
- Take the reserved cup measure with the oil drained from the tomatoes and add enough olive oil to fill one cup. Add to the large bowl, mixing to combine.
- Finally, slowly mix in the water to the large bowl, only using enough to make a thin batter. You may not need all of the water.
- Pour batter into the prepared sheet pan, drizzle the top with olive oil and bake for 55-60 minutes.
- When it comes out of the oven, sprinkle the Parmesan cheese all over the top and drizzle with a little more olive oil and sprinkle the remaining thyme over the top.
- Cut into squares and serve.
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I left the sugar out
Otherwise delicious
Thanks Lisa
After several times making this, it is now a family favorite! Preparing it for a light Christmas lunch right now.
Thank you Jodi – Merry Christmas!
I have made this and loved it. I would like to make this for guests, one of which is diabetic. Can I substitute something for the sugar without altering the flavor too much?
Hi Ellie – We don’t have a lot of experience with sugar substitute swaps. You could leave the sugar out for a more savory version, but I’m sure there is a sugar substitute that could work as well…without some kitchen testing I don’t have specific suggestions but know that many of the substitutes are very sweet so I’d start with a smaller amount than what the recipe calls for sugar.
I made this recipe a couple of times and it is a success each time! Thank you for this delicious meal!
You’re very welcome Claire – so glad you enjoyed it!
Haven’t made this yet but boy do these flavours just blow my mind. I KNOW
I am going to love this. YES!
Thanks Yvnonne – hope you’ll give the recipe a try!
This dish is fantastic! Everyone always asks for the recipe!
Thanks Mariann!
One of the worst recipes encountered via Pinterest so far. I put in less sugar than required and it was way too sweet. The ratios seemed completely off and it just tasted pretty bad. Not trying this one again!
Sorry you were disappointed Emilie – we’ve found that people either love this recipe or hate it.
Hi from AUSTRALIA. Martha can I sub almond flour for cornmeal, as I’m trying to do Keto?
Recipee looks gorgeous.
Many thanks.
Hi Suzanne! We’ve never tried this swap so I can’t say for sure how it will work out. I believe almond flour has more moisture than cornmeal so you may need to make some other adjustments to get the texture right. Sorry I can be more help without testing it out in the kitchen.
Very dry mixture and no place does it say to combine veggies with the “pastry” bit. So how and when does that happen? This flour mixture certainly does not pour.
I’m putting in the oven in layers…..We will see if its edible.
Hi Paula – Steps 2 through 8 instruct you to prep then add each element to the large bowl, and mixing together after each addition.
This was a hit in our kitchen. Mr. I Don’t Like Veggies ate it up. Definitely a keeper.
We love hearing this Kathryn! 🙂