Zucchini dip and fried pizza

This dip goes beautifully with fresh bread and even better with fluffy fried pizza. Growing up in Italy we would actually go out for lunch, but before lunch mum would take us out into the city of Naples and you have these beautiful little shops making fried pizza as a little snack. I mean, who has fried pizza before lunch? We do.

Zucchini dip and fried pizza. Credit: The Chef's Garden

• makes

  8

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  35 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

Dip

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 kg zucchini, sliced as fine as you can using a knife
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced finely
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
• 2 peppino chillies (peppers), deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1 tbsp sea salt

Fried Pizza (makes 15 balls)

• 14 g dry yeast
• 650 ml tepid water
• 50 ml olive oil
• 20 ml honey
• 900 g 00 flour
• 20 g salt
• 1 cup oil for frying, preferably olive oil

Resting and chilling time: about 3½ hours.

Instructions

1. To make the dip (this can also be done with the pizza dough is resting): Heat ⅔ of the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the zucchini and garlic and cook over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until very tender. Using a wooden spoon, break up any large pieces of zucchini. Add parsley, oregano, chillis, cracked pepper and lemon juice. Cook until the olive oil has emulsified.
2. Season with salt and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the lemon juice. Serve warm or at room temperature with the fried pizza.
3. To prepare the dough: Mix yeast and water, olive oil and honey and set aside for 30 minutes.
4. If using a stand mixer make sure you attached the dough hook. Sieve flour and add in mixer bowl, then turn on the mixer and have it on a slow setting. Add water, honey and yeast mix to the flour in several batches, while mixing. Work dough for 5 minutes then add salt and mix for another 5 minutes. Rest dough for 1 hour, then portion into 100 g balls, place them on a tray and refrigerate for another hour.
5. To assemble, take the pizza balls from the fridge and bring to room temp, about an hour.
6. Place 1 cup of olive oil in a pan and bring up to moderate heat. Press down the dough balls using your fingers. Don’t put holes in them just press them out like you are making focaccia. Fry in batches until golden on both sides (about 2-3 minutes each side). Drain on paper towel.
7. Serve with zucchini dip on the side, sprinkled with sea salt.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.