Asparagus Pizza

Yields two 6-inch pizzas

INGREDIENTS:

Lemon roasted asparagus recipe, recipe below
1 ball pizza dough, recipe below
1 -2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2-3 cups shredded asiago or parmesan
1 teaspoon garlic powder 

Optional
Ricotta, mozzarella, provolone, aged provolone, olives, hot
peppers, etc.

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Sprinkle cleaned work surface with flour, place dough on floured surface and coat well with flour while massaging
   into a smooth ball. Divide dough in half. Reform into round shapes.
3. Knead dough and Roll dough into round shape then when
   you have achieved the right size, place on pizza pan.
4. Drizzle pizza with olive oil, crust included then sprinkle with garlic powder.
5. Top with asparagus and cheese and bake until lightly
   golden brown.

Lemon Roasted Asparagus

INGREDIENTS:

2 bunches asparagus
¼ cup olive oil
5 Garlic Cloves, minced
3 Tablespoons Parmesan
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat oven to Broil on High.
2. Trim asparagus ends to remove woody ends. Discard woody ends.
3. Cut asparagus on a bias and place in a mixing bowl. Coat with oil, vinegar, lemon juice, lemon zest, red pepper, garlic, salt and pepper and toss thoroughly to mix.
4. On a baking sheet lined with foil, arrange the asparagus in a single layer.
5. Broil for 8-10 minutes or until the asparagus is crisp on the outside and tender in the center. Add more cheese if desired. Serve immediately.

Pizza Dough

INGREDIENTS:

153 grams flour (1 cup plus 1 tablespoon)
153 grams all-purpose flour (1 cup plus 1 tablespoon and 2 teaspoons)
8 grams fine sea salt (1 teaspoon)
2 grams active dry yeast (3/4 teaspoon)
4 grams extra-virgin olive oil (1 teaspoon)
Water added to desired consistency is met

PREPARATION:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine flours and salt.
2. In a small mixing bowl, stir together 200 grams (a half cup) lukewarm tap water, the yeast and the olive oil, then pour it into flour mixture. Knead with your hands until well combined, add more water as necessary, knead approximately 3 minutes, then let the mixture rest for 15 minutes.
3. Knead rested dough for 2 minutes. Cut into 2 equal pieces and shape each into a ball. Place in a bowl that has been sprayed with pan coating to prevent sticking, cover in saran wrap or towel and let rest and rise for 3 to 4 hours at room temperature or for 8 to 24 hours in the refrigerator. (If you refrigerate the dough, remove it 30 to 45 minutes before you begin to shape it for pizza.)
4. To make pizza, place each dough ball on a heavily floured surface and use your fingers to stretch it, then your hands to shape it into rounds or squares. Top and bake.

Dave Lattomus is a classically trained Chef with over 20 years of experience. Dave served as the executive sous chef for the Hotel duPont for over 10 years (a lifetime in the restaurant world!) before transitioning to focus more on teaching and catering.