Vegetable-and-cheese pan focaccia
Zucchini and Pecorino Focaccia
Ribbons of shaved zucchini and sharp, salty pecorino over a golden crust — a light, savory summer bake with browned, cheesy edges.
- Total
- 4.8 hr
- Hands-on
- 30 min
- Hydration
- 77%
- Skill
- intermediate
By FocacciaRecipe editorial · Updated 2026-07-05 · In editorial development; independent bake-test pending
The short version
Shave zucchini thin, salt it 15–20 minutes and squeeze out the water, layer it over a dimpled focaccia with olive oil, top with grated pecorino, and bake at 230°C/450°F for 22–26 minutes.
Why this works
Zucchini is mostly water, so salting the ribbons and squeezing them dry stops that water from steaming the crumb soggy and lets the slices roast and lightly char instead; shaving thin means they cook through in the bake; adding sharp pecorino means the cheese browns into savory edges and its saltiness carries the mild squash.
The schedule
~40m hands-on of 4.9h total · same day
- Mix & fold · 40m
- Bulk ferment · 2h
- Proof · 1.5h
- Bake · 24m
- Cool · 20m
Terracotta is active work; olive is unattended rising; red is the bake.
Ingredients
Method
- 1
Salt the zucchini
Shave the zucchini into thin ribbons (peeler or mandoline) or 2 mm rounds, toss with the 1/2 tsp salt in a colander, and leave 15–20 minutes. Then squeeze or press firmly in a towel to wring out the water and toss with a little oil.
Look for: Beads of water pool in the colander; after squeezing the ribbons are limp and noticeably drier, and a good spoonful of liquid comes out.
Avoid: Do not skip the squeeze — un-purged zucchini releases water that steams the crumb soggy.
- 2
Mix the dough
Whisk flour and yeast, add water and the dough oil, then the fine salt (a touch less than usual). Mix to a wet, shaggy dough with no dry flour.
Look for: Sticky and loose, clinging to the bowl.
- 3
Bulk ferment with folds
Do 3 stretch-and-folds over the first 90 minutes, then rest until bubbly and nearly doubled.
Look for: Domed and blistered; airy and slack.
- 4
Pan, proof, dimple
Oil the pan, transfer the dough, coax it to the edges, and proof until pillowy (60–90 min). Oil your fingers and dimple deeply.
Look for: The dough fills the pan and wobbles; dimples hold a little oil.
- 5
Layer zucchini and most of the cheese
Lay the dried zucchini over the dough in an even, slightly overlapping layer. Scatter about two-thirds of the pecorino over it and drizzle any remaining oil.
Look for: A single even layer of ribbons — thick piles stay wet and pale underneath.
- 6
Bake, add cheese, finish
Bake at 230°C/450°F for 22–26 minutes. In the last 5 minutes, scatter the remaining pecorino so it browns into crisp edges. Finish with black pepper and cool on a rack 15–20 minutes.
Look for: Zucchini edges curl and lightly char; the late cheese turns golden and crisp.
What good looks like
- Crumb: Open and tender beneath the zucchini.
- Crust: Crisp base; roasted zucchini curls with browned cheesy edges.
- Height: About 2.5–3 cm tall plus the topping.
- Color: Golden crust; lightly charred zucchini and browned pecorino.
If something went wrong
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Soggy, pale top | Zucchini not salted and squeezed | Salt the ribbons 15–20 minutes and wring out the water before layering. |
| Cheese burnt and bitter | All the pecorino added at the start | Bake with most of the cheese and add the rest in the last 5 minutes for crisp, golden edges. |
| Zucchini still watery and limp | Piled thick or not dried | Keep to one even layer and squeeze the ribbons well first. |
Storing & reheating
Storage: Best fresh; refrigerate up to 2 days.
Freezing: Not recommended — the zucchini softens and weeps on thawing.
Reheating: Re-crisp in a 200°C/400°F oven for 6–8 minutes.
Contains wheat/gluten and dairy (pecorino).
Tools & ingredients for this focaccia
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Core pantry
- Bread flour (opens Amazon) ↗ — High-protein bread flour or Italian “00” both work.
- Fine sea salt (opens Amazon) ↗ — Fine sea salt for the dough.
- Instant yeast (opens Amazon) ↗ — Instant (or active dry) yeast keeps for months.
- Extra-virgin olive oil (opens Amazon) ↗ — Use a good EVOO you like the taste of.
Fresh — buy local
- Fresh vegetables (opens Amazon) ↗ — Buy fresh and in season.
- Cheese (opens Amazon) ↗ — Buy fresh from a good cheese counter or deli.
You don’t need to buy everything here — many items are already in most kitchens. Fresh produce, cheese and herbs are best bought local and in season.
Frequently asked
- Do I really need to salt the zucchini?
- Yes — zucchini is over 90% water. Salting and squeezing draws that out so the ribbons roast and char rather than steaming the top soggy.
- Can I use Parmesan instead of pecorino?
- Yes. Pecorino is sharper and saltier; Parmesan or Grana Padano is milder. Adjust the dough salt if you switch to a saltier or milder cheese.
Keep baking
In these collections
Source: https://www.focacciarecipe.com/recipes/zucchini-pecorino-focaccia · © 2026 FocacciaRecipe.com
In editorial development — this recipe has not yet completed physical bake-testing.