Shredded zucchini makes a great pizza crust

You probably haven’t been inundated with zucchini yet because it’s too early in the season for friends and neighbors to be pawning off summer’s most bountiful backyard garden crop.

However, because you can find plenty of the slender green squashes in most grocery stores, now is the time to perfect your recipe for a zucchini crust pizza.

It’s exactly what it sounds like — pizza made on a bed of shredded zucchini. Eggs, grated cheese and flour bind the crust together, and the pie can be topped with whatever you like — an assortment of chopped vegetables, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, tomato sauce and cheese and/or a simple sprinkling of grated Parmesan.

I used gluten-free flour, but I also have made the recipe many times with whole-wheat and all-purpose flour.

One tip: Be sure to grease the pizza pan or cookie sheet well, or line it with parchment paper. The thinner you spread the zucchini crust, the quicker it will bake.

ZUCCHINI CRUST PIZZA

Makes 4 servings

2 cups grated zucchini (to make about two 7-inchers)

2 eggs, beaten

¼ cup whole wheat flour

½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

½ teaspoon basil

¼ teaspoon oregano

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Topping suggestions: sliced tomato, extra mozzarella (sliced or grated), thinly sliced garlic or peppers, mushrooms, and sliced olives.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 10-inch pie pan or baking sheet with nonstick spray or grease with oil and coat lightly with flour.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together zucchini, eggs, flour, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, basil, oregano and 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Press crust into a greased pie plate (for extra-thick pizza) or spread in a circle or square on a greased cookie sheet or pizza pan.

Bake for 20 minutes and then remove crust from oven.

Brush with remaining tablespoon olive oil. Top with your favorite pizza toppings and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned and crispy at the edges and the topping is heated through.

Note: A nutritional analysis is not available.