Recipe: Zucchini, Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Pizza

One can argue that pizza is a just a dressed-up piece of bread, but its simplicity and versatility is hard to beat. You can customize it to your specific tastes with an endless combination of flavors. Homemade pizza is a great way to feature fresh produce and other products from the Lenexa Farmers Market. This version stars zucchini, caramelized onions and oyster mushrooms.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 medium zucchini, sliced thin
1 large onion, sliced thin
8 ounces oyster mushrooms, sliced thick
Salt, to taste
Pizza dough (12” purchased or scratch made)
1/2 cup thick tomato sauce
Basil, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, as desired
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
4 ounces parmesan cheese shredded
Olive oil for drizzling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to highest setting, 450–500 degrees F. If using pizza stone, preheat it at the same time.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in medium skillet. Sauté zucchini in batches, until lightly brown, salting if desired. Place on paper-towel-lined plate to soak up moisture.
3. Using the same skillet, repeat with onion slices, until caramelized and sweet, then mushroom slices until they are beginning to brown and have given off most of their moisture.
4. On parchment paper, roll or press pizza dough into desired shape.
5. Stir desired seasonings into tomato sauce and spread on pizza dough.
6. Cover sauce with 1/4 of the cheese.
7. Evenly top with onions, zucchini and mushrooms.
8. Finish with the rest of the cheese and drizzle with olive oil.
9. Slide a pizza peel or flat cookie sheet under parchment paper, open oven, and slide onto preheated pizza stone. (Alternately, place on preheated pizza pan, or cookie sheet.)
10. Bake for 15–20 minutes, turning halfway. If necessary, reduce heat to 350 degrees, so cheese doesn’t brown too much.
11. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack. Let cool a few minutes before cutting and serving.