Asparagus Pizza

I want to share with you the most delicious recipe that we've been enjoying lately. It is a recipe that came to us from Smitten Kitchen. If you haven't already taken in her mouth watering culinary skills, you most certainly should.

Most of the time, I merely drool over her delectables...making mental notes of 'having to prepare that myself someday.' But my lack of follow-through changed a few weeks back when she sent a recipe for Asparagus Pizza.

Go here for her delicious recipe.

Below is my version, slightly modified for what I had on hand at the house.

Ingredients:

20 stalks of asparagus (about four cups shaved with vegetable peeler)

olive oil

two shallots (four bulbs)

salt and pepper

mix of shredded Italian cheese (I use Horizon's Organic Italian Blend)

Saute sliced shallot in olive oil until cooked. Throw in shaved asparagus and cook until slightly tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

The pizza dough recipe is one I've used from the Moosewood Cookbook for eons. It never fails.

Dough recipe:

1 package yeast

1 tablespoon honey

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 cup wrist temperature water

3 cups or so of flour (use any flour you like)

olive oil to drizzle on top

Combine yeast, honey, salt and water in a large bowl. Add flour and knead into firm dough.

Return to bowl and drizzle top with olive oil.

Cover and let rise for at least an hour or until it doubles in size.

The recipe makes two large pizzas. I roll out the dough on each pizza pan and then I bake the dough for a few minutes on 475 until it doesn't stick to the pan and is slightly golden (see above).

I remove from oven, add toppings (cheese and asparagus) and then bake for several minutes longer until cheese is nicely melted and crust is nice and golden.

Bon Appetit!

It's a wonderful way to enjoy lots of yummy asparagus while it's in season! It's also a perfect preview to the fresh tastes of all of the summer produce to come.