Squash Blossom and Burrata Pizza

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pizza con fiori di zucca e burrata

This squash blossom and burrata pizza is a beautiful display of colors, textures, and Italian flavors. It features slices of zucchini and their flowers. A light tomato sauce anchors the vegetables. And the other star of the show is burrata, the creamy Italian cheese similar to mozzarella. The contrast between the crunchy crust, warm tomato sauce, velvety cheese, all topped with the freshness of squash blossoms is a heavenly combination.

When I see squash blossoms, I immediately get excited. They’re like a rare beauty amongst such a provincial plant that is the zucchini. The zucchini flower is something we covet and treasure and usually enjoy filled with cheese and fried. Let’s be honest, that’s how we should eat everything!

But I’m here to show you that they don’t have to be eaten battered and fried. They bring a delicate, earthy flavor and beautiful bright color to a dish, all on their own. And one of the best canvases to showcase anything is a pizza.

I’m making a bold move in this squash blossom pizza and using a store-bought pizza dough. Even Italians sometimes cheat and don’t always use homemade. Like in America, in some supermarkets we can find bags of pizza or bread dough in the refrigerated or freezer section. We also have rolls of square pizza dough that can be baked in a pan. Super simple and a great base to let your toppings shine!

Ingredients

Pizza dough
Tomato sauce
Zucchini
Zucchini blossoms
Burrata cheese
Extra virgin olive oil

In the botanical world, a zucchini is actually a fruit, because it grows from the flowering part of a zucchini plant.

More on zucchini and their blossoms…

The zucchini plant produces male and female flowers, generally more male flowers, and they appear first on the plant. The male flowers are alone on a stem and will eventually fall off. Both flowers are edible. Female flowers have pistils inside and male flowers have stamens. We generally remove them when cooking with zucchini flowers, however they are edible, just not particularly appetizing.

For the plant to produce fruit, which is the actual zucchini that we eat, bees bring the pollen from the male flowers to the female ones. After successful pollination, a little zucchini grows attached to the female flower.

For tomato sauce, I use a can of tomato pulp, which is like a cross between crushed and diced tomatoes. I season it with salt, black pepper, fresh basil and oregano. Passata would work or your favorite pizza sauce!

Step by Step

To begin this zucchini flower pizza, remember to remove the pizza dough from the fridge about an hour before cooking. This helps the dough get to room temperature, making it easier to stretch and puff up.

Preheat the oven to 230°C. If you have a pizza stone, place it in the oven before preheating, on a rack in the lower third of the oven.

Prepare the fresh squash blossoms by removing any stems and cutting out the center stamens or pistils. Set them aside.

On a floured work surface, press out the dough ball to a flat round shape, pressing out from the middle so a natural border forms around the edge that will become the crust. Or sometimes I like to be really rustic and make a square or blob shape.

You can also make a sheet pan pizza by forming the dough into a rectangle to fit a rimmed baking sheet, keeping the dough about 1-2cm thick.

Transfer the dough to a pizza peel or baking tray that has been dusted with cornmeal or flour.

Spoon a thin layer of tomato sauce over the dough, leaving a couple centimeters border around the edge. Then scatter the zucchini slices over the sauce.

Bake the pizza in a preheated oven on the baking sheet, or if using a pizza stone, slide the pizza from the peel onto stone.

Bake for about 5-7 minutes, or until the zucchini are tender and pizza is mostly cooked but not yet browned. Top with the squash blossoms and return to the oven.

Cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until the pizza is golden brown and charred in spots. The cook time will depend on the type of pizza dough used and individual oven temperature. Pay more attention to pizza color rather than time.

Right before serving, top the pizza with the creamy burrata cheese, tearing it into pieces and dolloping it over the top.

Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Tips and FAQs

Squash blossom pizza can be made as a classic round pizza or sheet pan pizza. For sheet pan pizza, simply don’t press the dough as thin and bake it in a rimmed baking sheet. Pan pizzas are great for cutting into squares and serving as an appetizer at a party!

Fresh mozzarella cheese can be substituted for the burrata cheese. It can be melted on the pizza – add it with the squash blossoms. Or tear pieces of mozzarella and add to the pizza after cooking. Both ways would be delicious!

Try your favorite homemade pizza dough recipe or use store-bought like I did!

What’s the difference between zucchini and squash?

Zucchini and yellow squash are both summer squash. They have similar taste and cooking applications and only differ slightly in shape. Summer squash is under the larger umbrella of squash, which also includes winter squash like acorn, butternut, and spaghetti squashes. As the names suggest, summer squash are harvested in the summer and winter squash in the winter.

What kind of tomato sauce is best for pizza?

Keep it simple when it comes to tomato sauce for pizza! A fresh tomato sauce helps maintain a light and natural flavor to the pizza. A can of crushed San Marzano tomatoes or passata seasoned with salt and pepper works perfectly.

What is burrata cheese?

Burrata is a soft Italian cheese made from fresh mozzarella and cream. The name burrata comes from the Italian word for buttered, giving an indication of its luscious texture. The outside is a thin shell of mozzarella filled with a center of shredded mozzarella called stracciatella, and cream. Its luxurious, rich flavor makes it an ideal accompaniment to salads, pastas, pizzas, and even toast!

Squash Blossom Burrata Pizza Recipe