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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
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
- 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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maureen conner says
How does this freeze?
Martha says
Yes – you can freeze it after it’s baked. Just be sure to wrap it tightly to avoid freezer burn.
Nydia Solís says
Sorry,didn’t really understand the procedure! Does it all go together, or veggies first and dry ingredients with oil on top? I’d really love to make this,sounds awesome,something my family would love. Please reply🙏
Martha says
Hi Nydia – It’s all combined together (some ingredients are mixed together first in smaller bowls) before you pour it into the pan.
Patti Stephens says
I made this for an appetizer at my dinner party last night and it was so delicious that my guests insisted I share the recipe. Will definitely make this again. Thank you.
Martha says
Thanks for sharing Patti! Glad the recipe was a hit!
Jean says
This looks amazing. Can it be frozen unbaked and baked right before serving?
Martha says
We’ve never tried Jean – so I can’t say for sure how it would work. I’d suggest partially baking it, then freeze. You can take out of the freezer and finish cooking through when you are ready to eat.
Diane says
I made this tonite and it is delicious. There are only two of us so I cut the recipe in half. Next time I will make a full recipe because it’s so yummy! Thanks for the recipe.
Martha says
You’re welcome Diane!
Jean says
I’m gf and also can’t do corn. What would you recommend to use in place of corn meal?
Martha says
Hi Jean – We’ve only made the recipe as written. But you might find this article to be helpful. Hopefully something gluten free to try: https://thekitchencommunity.org/cornmeal-substitutes/#Can_you_use_flour_in_place_of_cornmeal
Kristina says
It came out really good. I didn’t have olive oil, so I used avocado oil, I didn’t have sun dried tomatoes in oil, so I didn’t use them. Family liked very much.
Martha says
Thanks Kristina!
Marlo says
Can this be made ahead ?
Martha says
Hi Marlo – Yes, you can bake it and reheat in a warm oven.
AuntSM says
I made this recipe. Great flavor however it really never developed as a “tart”. Followed the recipe as written however wondering if more eggs/liquid needed. Never created a real batter.
Martha says
I don’t really know Shawn – we make this recipe fairly often and haven’t had that issue. It’s always difficult to troubleshoot without being there in the kitchen with you. Sorry you were disappointed in the results.
Samantha says
I didn’t really end up with a batter and it came out pretty dry. I used more than the 1/4 cup of water but it was lots of powdery flour and cornmeal. Where did I go wrong? It tastes yummy, though!
Martha says
I don’t really know Samantha. If you had a powdery flour and cornmeal consistency rather than a thin batter, sounds like you either mis-measured or left an ingredient out. Hard to know without being in the kitchen with you…