The ZUCCHINI SCARPACCIA is a rustic savory pie typical of the Tuscan tradition, especially from the areas of Viareggio and Camaiore in Versilia. It is a humble, simple but tasty dish, made with the essential ingredients of peasant cuisine. It is one of those dishes that tell the story of the territory: genuine, plain, and deeply connected to the local culture.
Its curious name, scarpaccia, recalls an “old shoe,” highlighting its low and crunchy texture, but don’t be misled: the flavor is delightful.
It is a low, thin pie with a crunchy edge and a soft interior.
The star ingredient is the zucchini, thinly sliced and left to rest with salt to lose excess water.
The batter is simple: flour, water, zucchini, onion (optional), olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Zucchini Scarpaccia is perfect served warm or cold as an appetizer, side dish, or main course. It is often enjoyed in spring and summer when zucchinis are in season.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 9 pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
- Energy 101.14 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 16.59 (g) of which sugars 0.57 (g)
- Proteins 4.03 (g)
- Fat 2.67 (g) of which saturated 0.41 (g)of which unsaturated 0.31 (g)
- Fibers 1.56 (g)
- Sodium 353.42 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 65 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb zucchini
- 1 red onion
- 8 zucchini flowers
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 cup type 1 flour (or type 0 flour)
- 1/4 cup fine cornmeal (fioretto)
- 1 1/3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- to taste black pepper
- rosemary
For Zucchini Scarpaccia you will need
- 2 Bowls
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Baking pan 15 x 11 in
- 1 Mandoline
- 1 Spoon
Preparation Zucchini Scarpaccia
Wash the zucchinis, trim the ends and slice them into thin rounds with the mandoline. Do the same with the red onion.
Place them in a bowl, sprinkle with salt, mix and let them rest for 2 hours with a weight on top so they lose their vegetable water.
After the 2 hours, squeeze the vegetables and transfer them to another bowl.
In the bowl with the liquid (set it aside, and if it weighs less than about 7 oz (200 g), add some water), add the type 1 flour, the cornmeal, a grind of pepper and the oil.
Mix well until you obtain a smooth batter.
Add the vegetables to the batter and stir everything with a spoon.
Oil a baking pan, transfer the mixture into it and spread it evenly. Top with chopped rosemary and bake in a preheated conventional oven at 428°F for 35 minutes or until a nice golden crust has formed.
For an extra crunchy crust, dust the surface with additional cornmeal.
Remove the Zucchini Scarpaccia from the oven, let it cool slightly and serve cut into rectangles.

