Zucchini Tomato Mozzarella Pie Recipe, gluten free!

Zucchini Tomato Mozzarella Pie Recipe, gluten free!

Sustainable Healthy Living, by Sheila Mullen – July 7, 2012

If you are anything like me, the very best day of summer comes when you bite into that first piece of amazingly tasty, sweet, juicy, succulent, unforgettable piece of fresh from the garden tomatoes. There are few greater joys in life. I picked my first batch of tomatoes, and immediately my thoughts drifted to those ridiculously sinful tomato pies we love so much in the South.  Here is a recipe I adapted to be gluten free and potentially dairy free that will rival any of those blue ribbon pies, while minding our summer waistlines.  Enjoy! 

Ingredients:

3 medium zucchini


Pinch of Sea salt, as needed


4-5 cloves garlic, minced


Fresh ground pepper, to taste


Extra virgin olive oil


8 oz. mozzarella, sliced*
 (dairy free suggestions below)

3 medium vine-ripe or heirloom tomatoes


Fresh chopped basil, to taste


1-cup crunchy gluten free bread crumbs (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375ºF.

Trim both ends of each zucchini. Cut them in half; then slice lengthwise into thin flat strips. (Thinner is better.)

Place in a colander and sprinkle with sea salt.

Set aside for ten minutes.

Press with dry towels to extract some of the moisture.

In a 9-inch pie plate (or gratin pan or baking dish) layer the zucchini strips in an overlapping pattern.

Season with pepper and minced garlic.

Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

Layer with mozzarella slices.

Slice the tomatoes and place them on top of the mozzarella.

Season the tomatoes with sea salt, pepper and basil.

Top with gluten free breadcrumbs.

Bake in a preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes until the zucchini is fork-tender and the topping is golden brown.

Set aside for five minutes before cutting and serving.

Serves 4.

Dairy Free/Vegan Tip: 

• Use almond or soy "mozzarella" or shredded Italian style "cheese".
• If you are more adventurous, avocado can substitute for the rich "mouth feel" of cheese.  It is lower in saturated fat than cheese and less likely to raise your cholesterol level or promote heart disease.
• Nutritional yeast can also be used to give you that delicious “cheesy” taste with high nutritional content.  Approximately 2 tablespoons contain a full day’s supply of vitamin B12.  Sprinkle it on the zucchini before you add the basil and tomatoes.

Here is the base recipe I started with and adapted. http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2006/03/zucchini-tomato-mozzarella-pie-with.html

Be well!

About Sheila Mullen – The founder of Continuous Motion Consulting, Sheila is passionate about engaging friends, family and community in improving their lives and the lives of those around them. Sheila spent more than 20 years in technology sales, marketing and development. She also has a background in organizational development, innovation and executive wellness coaching.