Zucchini, Leek & Pesto Sheet Pan Pizza

I swear, this is my last zucchini recipe!  I've really been enjoying how easy and versatile zucchini and summer squash are and since they're in season.  I'll admit, I've been going a little crazy with the zucchini recipes, but this recipe is one that you're definitely going to want to try.  I spent probably 30 minutes scouring Pinterest trying to find a new way to use zucchini that I hadn't tried before.  I ended up finding 2 different pizza recipes that I decided to combine into 1.  I also made everything from scratch using my homemade pizza dough and vegan basil walnut pesto recipes.

When I was younger, I used to always get upset when we ordered pizza because we would order a pizza that was 1/2 pepperoni and 1/2 cheese.  I didn't like pepperoni, so that half was for my brother and the cheese half was for me.  Every time he would end up eating part of my half and it made me MAD.  So what did I do?  I started ordering pesto pizza with olives & artichoke hearts (none of which he liked) so he would stop eating my pizzas.  This healthy pizza reminds me a little of that because it's full of green goodness.  Now, Ryan can't eat cheese, so this entire delicious pizza is all for me.

I'll admit, this pizza is different from any pizza I've ever had.  I usually go for a fluffy cast-iron crust pizza, but this one turned out a little more flatbread-esque.  I knew that going into it and it brings something totally different to the table.  You still get a great crusty bottom to the pizza and a little puff on the outer crust.  The ricotta gives you the creamy cheesy flavor you want from a pizza while the basil pesto keeps things light and herbaceous.  The leeks bring a great depth of flavor and the thinly shaved zucchini and squash bring a subtle sweetness.  Overall, this pizza is king of like eating a flatbread topped with salad, but in the best way possible.  When I had leftovers for lunch, I even added some sliced avocado before topping with arugula (something I would never do with another pizza) but it was actually really good.  So if you're in the mood for pizza, but want something a little lighter (or just don't want your brother/husband/anyone else eating your pizza) you should definitely give this one a shot!  I also highly recommend making your dough and pesto from scratch because it keeps the pizza fresh, light, & healthy.

Total Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

pizza dough

3/4 cup ricotta cheese

3/4 cup basil pesto

2-3 small Leeks, dark greens removed*

1 zucchini

1 yellow squash

2 cups arugula

Instructions:

1. Stretch your dough to fit the length of your baking sheet.  If it shrinks back up at all, give it time to warm up to room temperature before proceeding.
2. Preheat oven to 475° F
3. Thinly shave zucchini and yellow squash with a mandolin or thinly slice with a knife.  Chop your leeks in half lengthwise and then thinly slice into half moons.
4. Bake pizza crust for 7-10 minutes and then remove from the oven.  Top with ricotta, then pesto, leeks and zucchini & squash.
5. Bake for an additional 7-8 minutes until dough is cooked through and squash are soft.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before topping with arugula and slicing in 8 pieces.

*I always clean my leeks 2-3 times because there can be a lot of sand inside them.  Once you cut them in half lengthwise, peel back the layers and rinse inside each one.  You don't want a sandy pizza!