Crispy, crunchy, and a tad tender and sweet on the inside, nothing comes close to a fresh-from-the-oven carpaccio. While it’s from Italy, it’s not part of the famous Neapolitan cuisine that is so strong and prevalent here in the States. From the golden sunlit region of Tuscany’s coastline, this side dish takes unsuspecting veggies and makes them addictive snacks to munch on over and over again.

To put it simply, scarpaccia is a thin and crispy tart that is close to a flatbread but thin and crunchy like a chip. From the Tuscan regions of Viareggio and Camaiore, a classic scarpaccia is made with springtime zucchini and eggs, supposedly made by retired sailors living near the beaches. The name scarpaccia is derived from the Italian word scarpa which means shoes. This flatbread-tart hybrid is baked to such a crispy golden degree, that the exterior looks similar to worn leather shoes. Not sure how that’s a selling feature nor a particularly appetizing association, but this snack is far from shoe leather.

While traditional recipes use zucchini, a variety of vegetables can be used to further crisp up the texture. Here this version uses more staple ingredients like onions and bell peppers which get delightfully crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. What’s even better is that this Italian Bell Pepper and Onion Scarpaccia doesn’t require any expensive ingredients like butter or eggs. A bit of olive oil is used sparingly to drizzle on top, but that is it.

After prepping the veggies, the binding mixture of flour, cornmeal, and thyme are whisked together.

Next, the vegetables are tossed into the bowl and mixed until thoroughly combined.

Then water is added to the bowl and the mixture finally comes together. It won’t look like pancake batter, but it’ll have the consistency of a loose fritter batter.

The mixture is then spread and pressed onto a parchment-lined baking sheet that is sprinkled with cornmeal. Pressing the batter into the smooth layer creates an even crispiness throughout the entire sheet of scarpaccia.

Before being popped into the oven, cornmeal and a small drizzle of olive oil are added on top.

After being baked for fifty to sixty minutes, this Italian Bell Pepper and Onion Scarpaccia rests for fifteen minutes. This rest time makes it easier to slice and serve.

One bite of this scarpaccia, and you’ll wonder where this sort of food has been all of your life. The onions and bell peppers bake up with a one-two punch of potato chip crunch and French onion soup melt away softness. The exterior is slightly salty, but the interior is slightly sweet with a delicate oniony flavor.

Flour and cornmeal are in a perfect volume, binding the vegetables but not overpowering the dish with a heavy, starchy element.

This is a perfect snack to have before a meal or as a side. It can even be served on top of a grain or leafy salad to add an interesting element of taste and texture. However, you want to eat this Italian Bell Pepper and Onion Scarpaccia, it’ll be as satisfying and addictive as a bowl of popcorn or a bag of potato chips, it’s that good!