Celebrate! Zucchini Tomato Appetizer Bread

"It was a dark and stormy night...." No, actually it was a cold and snowy night as we gathered to celebrate another season of hard work on our community's annual Christmas drive-through light show. Though the show lasted only 26 nights, the committee  had been putting in time since August. By January, everyone is usually pretty burned out, but not so much that we can't get together, share some delicious food and laugh over the successes and the mishaps of the year now past. Among the committee members, I'm known as the one who brings the treats.......(I actually use these friends as guinea pigs for new bread recipes, but they never seem to mind), so I wanted to bring something special. That night, I was in a "savory" mood, so I tweaked this old recipe for the evening's festivities. (This would probably make an amazing summer dish, too.....all that fresh, abundant zucchini!!)

Zucchini Tomato Appetizer Bread 

Bread Base: 

1 Cup warm water
1 Tbsp/packet Red Star Platinum yeast 
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 1/2 - 2 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

Pour water in EZ DOH bucket. Stir in yeast. Let sit for 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients and EZ Doh-it until dough is smooth, adding additional flour as necessary. Remove dough from bucket, spray bucket with cooking spray and replace dough. Cover and let rise until double. Preheat oven to 400.  Remove dough from bucket and press into a 10x15" pan, sprayed with cooking spray. Spread with 1 Tbsp. softened butter.Top with the following:

Topping: 

2 medium zucchini, washed and thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning (I used Penzey's Spice "Pasta Sprinkle", along with a little oregano)
2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced , with each slice cut into 4 triangles
1/2 cup sliced pepperoni, each piece halved
1/2 lb. Colby Jack or Swiss cheese slices, cut into 1 1/2 " pieces

Saute zucchini, onion and seasonings in the butter till crisp tender. Spread zucchini mixture evenly over buttered dough. Top with tomato triangles (mine were 6 across), then a pepperoni slice on each tomato, then a cheese strip. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden. Cut into squares and serve while warm.

Celebrate! Zucchini Tomato Appetizer Bread