Springtime Asparagus Pizza Recipes

GRILLED SPRING PIZZA WITH ASPARAGUS, LEEKS AND PANCETTA

Steps:

• Fill a vase or large glass with cold water and soak the leeks for about 3 minutes to remove any grit.
• Meanwhile, run a vegetable peeler down the asparagus stalks to create ribbons and place in a medium bowl. Add the zest of half the lemon, the juice of the whole lemon and 1 tablespoon oil. Toss together and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Rinse the leeks well after soaking and thinly slice into half-moons.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and just lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl or plate and let cool to room temperature. Wipe out the skillet.
• Line a plate with paper towels. Put 1 tablespoon oil and the pancetta in the same skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until golden brown and crispy, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to the prepared plate to drain and cool.
• Brush a large grill pan with 1 tablespoon oil and preheat over medium-high heat.
• On a lightly floured surface, stretch the pizza dough into a long oval or rectangle to fit the grill pan. Brush the dough with 1 tablespoon oil and place oiled-side down onto the grill pan. Grill until charred and golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Brush the dough with 1 tablespoon oil.
• Lower the heat to medium. Flip the dough with a spatula. Top with the fontina, leek mixture and pancetta. Cover with an inverted baking sheet and cook until the bottom of the dough is charred and the cheese melts, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Top the pizza with the lemony asparagus. Garnish with Parmigiano-Reggiano, red pepper flakes and a drizzle of honey if desired. Slice and serve.

PIZZA WITH ASPARAGUS, SPRING ONIONS, PANCETTA, AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• Heat a large, wide-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil, onions, and a large pinch of salt. Cook until the onions are soft, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and lowering the heat if needed to keep them from browning. Let cool.
• Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus. Slice the trimmed spears on the diagonal about 1/4 inch thick.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the asparagus and cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to chill quickly. Pat dry.
• Season the ricotta with salt and white pepper.
• At least 45 minutes before baking, put a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven and preheat the oven to its highest setting (500°F to 550°F).
• With lightly floured fingers, flatten a ball of pizza dough into a round on a lightly floured work surface. Pick up the round with both hands and, grasping the round by an edge, rotate the dough clockwise between your fingertips, always holding it by the edge. As you rotate the dough, stretch it into an 8-inch circle; the dough will also stretch and lengthen from its own weight. Alternatively, drape the flattened round over your lightly floured knuckles and rotate the dough, moving your knuckles slightly farther apart, until the round stretches into an 8-inch circle.
• Place on a pizza peel lightly dusted with cornmeal or durum flour. Work quickly now to prevent sticking.
• Using one-quarter of the onion mixture, spread it evenly over the surface of the dough. Scatter asparagus over the onions, using one-quarter of the total. Dollop one-quarter (4 ounces) of the ricotta on the pizza in 7 to 8 mounds. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon Parmesan. Arrange 5 pancetta slices, still coiled in rounds, on top, spacing them evenly.
• Slide the pizza onto the pizza stone and bake until the crust is brown and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Cut into slices and serve hot. Repeat with the remaining three balls of dough and the remaining topping.
• Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Sauvignon Blanc or another lean and refreshing white wine.