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Pecorino Crusted Yellow Pizza with Crispy Zucchini

July 25, 2021
by
Fresh mozzarella and pecorino melted over a homemade yellow tomato sauce and finished off with crispy summer zucchini: this Pecorino Crusted Yellow Pizza with Crispy Zucchini is truly the best summer pizza.
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Fresh mozzarella and pecorino melted over a homemade yellow tomato sauce and finished off with crispy summer zucchini: this Pecorino Crusted Yellow Pizza with Crispy Zucchini is truly the best summer pizza.

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I’m a pizza girl — that’s for sure. In fact, when I went to Italy a few years ago, I swear I was on a mad dash to find the best pie. Here in America, it’s pretty common to find pizzas loaded up with all the goods… and, to be honest, that’s exactly how I love it. Whether it has four kinds of cheeses, or four kinds of veggies, I’m totally on board with all the different flavors and textures of toppings. That being said, in Italy, most of the pizzas you will find focus more on the base ingredients: the dough, sauce, and cheese. Oh, and they definitely focus on the preparation method… It seems like every little mom and pop pizzeria makes their pizza a different way! And, while I absolutely loved the variety of Margarita pizzas I ate on my trip, I remember being ecstatic when I tasted a pie with a little something different. 

Fresh mozzarella and pecorino melted over a homemade yellow tomato sauce and finished off with crispy summer zucchini: this Pecorino Crusted Yellow Pizza with Crispy Zucchini is truly the best summer pizza.

the background…

After getting lost 30 minutes out of our desired destination in the rolling hills of Tuscany, my family was absolutely starving!! So, we quickly hopped out of our car into a little town we saw up on a hill. The town, Orvieto, turned out to be one of the cutest little medieval villages I’ve ever been to. What’s more, we quickly jumped out of our car and headed to the first quaint little pizzeria we saw in the piazza. And, as it turned out, that was the best dish I’d eaten all trip! Yes, you guessed it: I did not get a margarita pizza; rather, I ordered a yellow tomato sauce and crispy squash blossoms pizza. With a plush neapolitan crust, a homemade tangy yellow tomato sauce, and a perfect balance between fresh cheese and summer product, this pizza was probably the best pizza that I have ever had. 

Clearly, this pizza has stuck with me, as I haven’t been to Italy in over two years and I still remember that pie. So, I felt it was only right to try and recreate this pizza at home, just so I could relive that moment (kind of, lol). That being said, finding squash blossoms at an American grocery store is near to impossible, and never consistent. If you want to find them, you have to go to the farmer’s market. So, while you still can still use squash blossoms if you can find them, this recipe subs the blossoms for a more practical find: thinly cut summer zucchini. Anyways, even if this pizza doesn’t sound like your typical order, you have to give it a try… I swear it will win you over!!

the breakdown...

This Pecorino Crusted Yellow Pizza with Crispy Zucchini starts off with making that yellow tomato sauce. Yellow tomatoes have a bit of a sweeter taste than their red counterparts, and make for an excellent sauce. Still, it isn’t easy to find a jarred yellow tomato sauce, or, at least not a good one. So, this recipe opts to make a simple one on your own. 

Really, making tomato sauce from scratch shouldn’t be intimidating. Yes, you could follow a recipe that has your slave all day in the kitchen perfectly working out every kink — and, in actuality, I do think that’s important for a high quality pasta. But, when making a good weeknight pizza, you could also just make a simpler, yet still delicious sauce like this yellow tomato sauce. 

To make the sauce, you simply need to roast your tomatoes with garlic and shallots, then peel off the skin and scoop out the seeds. This should be fairly easy if you let them cool before attempting to peel them. Maybe pop them in the fridge if you’re in a time crunch? Then, pop them into a blender with some dried basil, oregano, sugar, rice wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Really, this sauce is super easy, yet packs in so much flavor. It’s definitely worth the extra few steps!!

Fresh mozzarella and pecorino melted over a homemade yellow tomato sauce and finished off with crispy summer zucchini: this Pecorino Crusted Yellow Pizza with Crispy Zucchini is truly the best summer pizza.

now to assemble!

Next up, you’ve got to assemble that pizza. For more tips on picking, shaping, and stretching your dough, check out my Cheesy Pea Pesto and Arugula Chicken Pizza. Really, though, with a good dough, it’s quite simple. After you’re all rolled out and greased, it’s time to add on the toppings! Start with a good layer of the sauce. As much as I wish I could douse this pizza in this sauce, the pizza would end up being a soggy mess. So, a good rule of thumb is to use a ½ cup of pizza sauce, or just enough so that the pizza is covered but you can still see the dough through most of it. After that, go ahead and sprinkle on your pecorino. The pecorino adds a nice bite, and doesn’t burn when you put it under your mozzarella. So, I think it’s a nice addition here. Then, go in with some fresh mozzarella for that cheese pull finish!! 

all about that crispy zucchini…

Lastly, generously coat your THIN zucchini slices with olive oil and some of that panko. I like to thinly slice my zucchini with a sharp knife. But, if you have a mandoline slicer, that would be perfect for this recipe. More oil, and a thinner veggie always leads to a crispier finish!! After a quick coating, pop the zucchini onto your pizza and send it to the oven. Once your pizza is golden, your cheese is melted, and your zucchini slices are crisp: you’re all set! 

how to serve it up…

This Pecorino Crusted Yellow Pizza with Crispy Zucchini is truly the best summer pizza. And, while I wish I could eat it all year around, yellow tomatoes and zucchini are really only available in the summer. Oh, and this recipe is fantastic on any type of grill… check out those instructions below, too!! So, for the summer, this is my go-to pizza. I love having a family or friends pizza night where everyone builds their own pizza, so this is always my addition to the spread. Or, this pizza would also be a delicious addition to an Italian night themed dinner party… maybe with some simple dressed greens and an aperol spritz? Really, this pizza is always a good idea.

I hope you enjoy this Pecorino Crusted Yellow Pizza with Crispy Zucchini as much as I do! Let me know if you make it in the comments below:)

Pecorino Crusted Yellow Pizza with Crispy Zucchini
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Pecorino Crusted Yellow Pizza with Crispy Zucchini

Recipe by Annie PatrickCourse: Main Course, Lunch, DinnerCuisine: Italian, AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

2

pizzas
Prep time

20

minutes
Cooking time

40

minutes
Total time

1

hour 

Fresh mozzarella and pecorino melted over a homemade yellow tomato sauce and finished off with crispy summer zucchini: this Pecorino Crusted Yellow Pizza with Crispy Zucchini is truly the best summer pizza.

Ingredients

  • assembly:

  • 2 10-12 oz store bought pizza doughs* (at room temperature)

  • Olive oil, as needed

  • 1 8 oz ball fresh mozzarella, sliced

  • ½ cup pecorino romano, grated

  • 1 zucchini, thinly sliced

  • 2 tbsp panko breadcrumbs

  • 2 tbsp olive oil

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

  • Fresh basil and mint, diced for serving

  • Freshly grated pecorino, for dusting

  • yellow tomato sauce:

  • 2 + 2 tbsp olive oil

  • 5 yellow beefsteak tomatoes, quartered around the stem

  • 3 shallots, quartered

  • 7 cloves garlic, unpeeled

  • 1 tbsp dried oregano

  • 2 tsp dried basil

  • 1 tsp sugar, optional

  • 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

  • Red pepper flakes, to taste

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  • SAUCE DIRECTIONS:
  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Place the tomatoes, shallots, and garlic on the baking sheet and toss with the olive oil. Roast in the oven for about 25 minutes, or until the tomatoes are starting to shrivel.
  • Once cooled, peel the skins off the garlic and tomatoes (they should fall off easily). Toss the tomatoes, garlic, shallots, oregano, basil, sugar, rice wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil into a blender. Puree until smooth. Feel free to leave some chunks, if that is how you like your sauce.
  • Grease two baking sheets with olive oil. On a floured surface, stretch each pizza dough until they’re very thin and about 12 inches round. Place on separate baking sheets, and rub each with lots of olive oil.
  • OVEN DIRECTIONS:
  • In a medium bowl, toss your zucchini slices with the 2 tbsp olive oil and the panko.
  • To assemble your pizzas, spoon about ½ cup of sauce on each piece of dough. Sprinkle on pecorino romano all over the pizza (including on crust), then cover with thin mozzarella slices and the prepared zucchini slices. Transfer to the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, turning around half way through. If your oven racks only allow for one sheet pan at a time, make sure to rotate your sheet pans to different racks every 4-5 minutes.
  • Allow to rest for 5 minutes. Then, top with fresh herbs and a generous dusting of freshly shredded pecorino, then slice up. Serve warm and enjoy!
  • GRILL DIRECTIONS:
  • Set your grill to high heat. In a medium bowl, toss your zucchini slices with the 2 tbsp olive oil and the panko.
  • Arrange your prepared zucchini, sauce, pecorino, mozzarella, and more oil next to your grill.
  • Make sure the dough is generously coated with olive oil. Lightly grease the grill grates using a folded paper towel coated in oil and a long pair of tongs. Slide the dough off of the baking sheet or pizza peel and onto the grill. Close the lid of the grill and allow to cook for 2 minutes.
  • Once the bottom of the dough begins to brown, quickly remove it from the grill and place the cooked side up on a baking sheet. Brush the cooked side with more olive oil, then layer on ½ cup of the sauce, some grated pecorino, the mozzarella slices, and the zucchini. Return to the grill, doughy side down, and cook for 2-3 more minutes, covered.
  • Remove from the grill. Allow to rest for 5 minutes. Then, top with fresh herbs and a generous dusting of freshly shredded pecorino, then slice up. Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

  • I usually opt for dough prepared from a specialty store, like an Italian deli, or even from some groceries. I find that Trader Joe’s, The Fresh Market, and Whole Foods all have great options to choose from. Either way, leave them out for 2-8 hours before use to ensure they are at room temperature, or they will not stretch.
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