Anyone who has ever grown courgettes will know that, come peak season, you have to get inventive with the abundance and come up with new ways to use them before they turn to marrows or perish and melt back into the soil. One fabulous way to cook up a glut is scarpaccia, an Italian classic that’s similar to farinata and a distant cousin of pizza. Thinly sliced courgettes are degorged by tossing them in sea salt to extract their juices, then, true to Italian thrift, the flavourful liquid is used to make a batter that’s then reunited with the courgettes before baking into a thin, crisp slice.
Scarpaccia
Zucchini or courgettes are a type of summer squash that grows so prolifically that even the most amateur horticulturist, such as myself, is often inundated with a cash crop of long green gourds. The leaves, stems and flowers are all edible (the greenery can be used like any other leafy green – it’s wonderful simply sauteed with garlic, lemon and nutmeg).
Those who don’t have the luxury of growing their own still benefit from the seasonal abundance, however, because the price of courgettes drops to much more affordable levels, even at the most affluent of farmers’ markets. When I was growing up in Dorset, I remember seeing baskets of the things on garden walls, just left out in return for a donation of a few pennies.
500g courgettes, topped and washed
500g new potatoes, washed
Sea salt
1 white or red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, or thyme or oregano, leaves picked
150g wholemeal flour – wheat, spelt or plain white
50g polenta, or semolina or breadcrumbs, plus extra to finish
Olive oil
Finely slice 100g each of the courgettes and potatoes and set aside. Grate the rest into a colander set over a bowl, add two teaspoons of sea salt and toss to coat. Place a plate and a weight directly on top of the courgettes and potatoes, and leave to degorge for an hour. Working with a handful at a time, squeeze the courgette and potato mix over the bowl, to collect their juices, then measure out 120ml of the liquid (if need be, top up with water).
In a bowl, mix the sliced onion, herb leaves, flour (and polenta, then stir in the 120ml reserved juice and mix to the consistency of thick cake batter; add more liquid or flour as required.
Line a large baking tray with unbleached baking paper and brush with olive oil. Spread the batter over the paper so it’s about 5mm thick, then arrange the sliced vegetables on top in neat alternating rows. Drizzle with more olive oil, sprinkle with a little polenta and a pinch of sea salt, then bake in a 240C (220C fan)/475F/gas 9 oven for 45-55 minutes, until golden, crisp and charred in places.