Empty-fridge Zucchini Savory Pie

This Empty-fridge Savory Pie is a perfect combination of flavor and yet tasty and nutritionally balanced. It’s great to avoid food waste and you will love it on every occasion.

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Do you know those times when you have a little bit of everything left over, but nothing that is enough to put together a delicious dish? This rustic savory pie is just the thing for you. It is a clever but tasty recipe, which – at least in my home – leaves everyone satisfied.

This is one of my favorite empty-fridge pies recipes. First of all, because I use a dose of courgette in the dough that adds vegetable vitamins and lightness. Secondly, because it allows me to use the scraps of cured meats and cheeses and not waste them. Thirdly because it is adaptable to almost any use of flour.

I am firmly convinced that in these years of super consuming, everyone must do their part. In my corner, I always try to adopt healthy principles in my cooking. That’s why, in my opinion, I feel that everyone should have, in the drawer, empty fridge recipes to bring to the table when needed.

As said before, this is my own taste of an empty fridge recipe, and please consider ingredients purely indicative. In turn, you can opt for the ingredients you like best or why not – as the anti-waste spirit – with the leftovers you have in the fridge.

The basic flours for the savory pie

Almost any flour you have in the pantry will fit as the base of today’s empty-fridge savory pie. For this recipe, I used a mix of all-purpose flour and wholemeal flour.

Good flours substitution are:

• a mix of ​60% sorghum flour and 40% buckwheat flour for a tasty gluten-free version.
• Rice flour. Take care to use the very finely ground one, because it has a better yield in the kitchen.
• Amaranth flour is a good option too if mixed with any other kind of flour. In this case, since it has a strong flavor reminiscent of dried fruit, use it in quantities not exceeding 30/40% of the total flour required.

Best vegetables choice to enrich the savory pie dough

To get a lighter and healthier recipe, I use to mix a few chopped vegetables directly into the dough.

To my taste, zucchini is the best-suited veggie to enrich the pie dough. Firstly, because it has a neutral flavor and secondarily because it gives a nice texture to the dough.

In case you don’t have leftover zucchini, excellent substitutions are broccoli, peeled eggplant, potato, but also pumpkin, or cauliflower.

About cheese choose

For the delightful success of every savory pie, a touch of stringy cheese cannot be missing!

In my fridge, as a good Italian, Parmigiano is never missing. Then, depending on what leftovers I have, I use to add some Emmenthal, Scamorza cheese, Provolone or Mozzarella.

About this, the choice is up to you and your preferences. If you like a stronger and more intense taste, you can combine a stringy cheese with a more seasoned one or with a strong flavor such as a good Blue Cheese.

To get a dairy-free or vegan recipe, you can replace the recipe’s dose of cheese with sprouted rice mozzarella and diced tofu.

For this recipe, I chose a rectangular no-stick Loaf Pan. Although I suppose that we all have at least one at home, if you have not, you can find your loaf pan here! I lined my mold with parchment paper before filling, for practicality. Alternatively, you can grease the pan with a little oil and a pinch of flour to prevent it from sticking.

Another choice that is popular in Italy is to use the Ruoto. Ruoto is a circular pan with a hole widely used in Italy for Ciambellone and Traditional Savory Pies.

As ypu probalbly alrealdy know, savory pies are very popular during the holidays, especially on Easter period, when each region of Italy has its own recipe. The most famous savory pie recipe is the Neapolitan Casatiello: find here our recipe to make it!

A few last tips

This savory pie is also perfect for parties or picnics. So why not try to make it in practical single portions?

You can opt for a Mini Loaf Pan

Or for a standard Muffins & Cupcakes Pan

So everyone will have their own personal portion of savory pie!

When instead you want to bring to your table a real and traditional “Antipasto all’Italiana“, this empty-fridge savory pie will be the star to perfectly accompany an Escarole and Anchovies Savory Pie, pickles, gherkins, olives, and salami in an all-Italian style!

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