Zucchini Deep-Pan Pizza

Preheat oven to 400°F/204°C.

Prepare pizza dough by dissolving yeast in water and sprinkle sugar. Let it stand for a few minutes until the yeast becomes active and mixture looks foamy and creamy.

In a mixer bowl, mix together flour, salt and oregano. Pour in the yeast mixture and olive oil.

Knead the dough for 15-18 minutes or until smooth and elastic and is starting to pull away from the side of the bowl. Form dough into a ball and place in an olive oil brushed bowl then cover with plastic wrap or cheese cloth. Rest dough for 30 minutes or until it doubles in size.

Grease generously two 8-inch round cast-iron pans. Set aside.

Gently punch down dough to deflate it. Divide dough into two then spread dough onto the prepared cast-iron pans using hands to flatten and stretch the dough until it covers the whole pan. Pinch the edges to make a crust and brush the pizza dough surface with olive oil, and then poke holes all over the dough using the tines of a fork to prevent any bubbles from forming while it bakes. Pre-bake for 10-15 minutes then remove from oven and cool.

Prepare bechamel sauce by heating up oil and butter in a saucepan until it melts. Add in flour and give a few stirs until flour absorbs the oil and butter. Slowly add milk until the mixture becomes smooth. Add cream, nutmeg, mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Mix well and bring to a boil, then simmer for 3-5 minutes with continuous stirring. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Get one prepared cast-iron pan and spread a small amount of béchamel sauce on the pizza dough and arrange zucchini slices then top with mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Repeat procedure until it has two layers of zucchini, white sauce and cheeses. Drizzle enough olive oil and sprinkle fresh thyme on top then bake for 20-25 minutes or until top of pizza becomes golden brown. Do the same procedure with the remaining ingredients.

Once your pizzas are cooked, serve right away or you may want to let it rest for the zucchini filling to set.