Pizza with Ricotta, Zucchini and Mint

Ingredients

• 1 lb pizza dough (Divided into 2 portions; homemade or store-bought)
• 2 medium zucchini (About 8 ounces each; thinly sliced into rounds or half-moons)
• 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese (Do not substitute part-skim ricotta)
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (Plus more for drizzling)
• 2 cloves garlic (Finely grated or minced)
• 0.25 cup fresh mint leaves (Roughly torn, plus additional leaves for garnish)
• 1 tsp lemon zest (Finely grated)
• 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese (Finely grated)
• kosher salt (To taste; use some to season the zucchini and some for the ricotta)
• black pepper (Freshly ground, to taste)

Steps

1. 1

   Place a pizza stone or steel on the upper-middle rack of the oven and preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes. If you do not have a stone or steel, preheat a heavy baking sheet upside down.

2. 2

   Divide the pizza dough into two equal portions. Shape each portion into a ball, cover, and let it rest at room temperature while preparing the toppings so the dough relaxes and is easier to stretch.

3. 3

   Thinly slice the zucchini. Toss it with a light pinch of kosher salt and set it aside for about 10 minutes. Blot away excess moisture with paper towels; this helps prevent a soggy crust.

4. 4

   In a small bowl, stir together the whole-milk ricotta, grated garlic, lemon zest, a portion of the olive oil, salt, and black pepper until smooth. In a separate bowl, toss the zucchini with the remaining olive oil and additional pepper.

5. 5

   On a lightly floured sheet of parchment, stretch or roll one dough portion into a 10-inch round, keeping the rim slightly thicker than the center. Transfer it to a pizza peel or leave it on the parchment for baking.

6. 6

   Spread half of the ricotta mixture over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Arrange half of the zucchini over the ricotta, then sprinkle with half of the Parmesan and some torn mint.

7. 7

   Transfer the pizza to the preheated stone, steel, or inverted baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the crust is puffed and deeply golden at the edges and the zucchini is tender. Broil briefly at the end if additional browning is desired, watching closely.

8. 8

   Remove the pizza from the oven and finish with fresh mint, a drizzle of olive oil, and a little more black pepper. Let it cool for 1 to 2 minutes before slicing.

9. 9

   Repeat the shaping, topping, baking, and finishing process with the remaining dough and toppings.

Notes

The source page is membership-gated and does not expose its ingredient list or method in the provided text. The ingredients, quantities, and steps above are a clearly labeled reconstruction based on the dish title, yield, cook time, and author notes. The source specifically recommends medium zucchini or summer squash weighing no more than about 8 ounces each, advises using whole-milk rather than part-skim ricotta, and notes that fresh basil may replace the mint.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• pizza
• vegetarian
• baked
• summer
• Italian
• fresh herbs