I have been luring here this year, as I finaly had gotten around to putting in a small herb garden. Whoohooo!

While trying to come up with things do do with my fresh herbs I invented a recipe that has had rave reviews from all of my friends. It is a savory zucchini bread recipe that uses fresh herbs. I though I'd share it with you all:

Zucchini White Pizza

3 c shredded zucchini

Salt

3 cups bread flour

3 Tbs gluten

(sold in most grocery stores in baking aisle in 6 or 8 oz boxes Âit is not necessary, but it does make the dough chewier. If you do not have any, you can make up for it by extra kneading, which will release the gluten in the bread flour.)

½ tsp salt

Yeast (1 packet or equivalent)

1 tbs sugar

2/3 cup hot tap water (not boiling)

3 tbs olive oil

Approx. 1/3 cup herbs. I use fresh basil, licorice (Thai) basil, oregano, marjoram, chives diced fine; roughly equal amounts. If using dry, I would try about a tbs of each. This is where preferences may dictate varying amounts, but the goal is to use a lot.

Shredded mozzarella to taste, enough to cover pizzas

Toss zucchini generously with salt and allow to sit in sieve at least 30 min to pull out the water. When ready add to dough, squeeze out all excess water. Most of the salt will get squeezed out also.

Proof yeast- In a large mug or small bowl, mix yeast with sugar, so the yeast granules are sort of separated from each other. Add hot water stir and let sit until bubbling. (approx 10 min)

Mix 2 ½ cups bread flour with gluten and salt. Add zucchini. Toss together. You will have to work the flour and zucchini here a bit to get the strands to separate. Add finely chopped fresh herbs.

Add olive oil to yeast mixture and then add to bread.

Knead dough, adding left over bread flour as needed until smooth ball is formed. The dough should be somewhat springy and elastic. If not, (and especially if you did not add gluten), continue to knead dough. This may take as long as 10 min.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap until doubled in bulk (approx 45 min, depending on room temperature)

Preheat oven to 450 use baking stone if you have one.

Roll out dough to flat shape. This will give 2 small pizzas or one very large. Allow to rest on cookie sheet or pizza paddle.

Top with mozzarella, bake until golden and cheese is beginning to toast slightly (about 10 min)