Shaved Asparagus Pizza Recipe

Grilled Asparagus Pizza

So you don’t know what to do with all that fresh asparagus that is in season right now?  Have you roasted it with olive oil and garlic the last few times and need a new idea?  You can always pickle and can asparagus, but if you are looking for a fresh way to add this tasty vegetable as part of your main dish – this is the recipe for you!

Pizza is a ‘go to’ staple in our house.  This time of year we are on the run constantly and at the end of a long spring day, pizza is just too easy to resist.  In order to make our meals a little healthier and add a little twist to our pizza night, we decided to use our fresh ingredients straight from the garden for this recipe.  Feel free to add other ingredients to make your own version!

Ingredients:

Shave the asparagus with a standard vegetable peeler.

1 recipe of your favorite pizza dough (Old World Garden Pizza Dough Recipe)
1/2 pound asparagus
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 pound shredded mozzarella
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
Several grinds black pepper
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 lemon (optional)

Instructions:

1.Preheat your oven to 475 degrees F

2. To prepare asparagus — Hold a single asparagus spear by its tough end, lay it flat on a cutting board.  Use a vegetable peeler to create long shavings of asparagus by drawing the peeler from the base to the top of the stalk. Repeat with remaining stalks.

Toss asparagus with olive oil, salt and pepper. Add red pepper flakes for an extra kick!

**Some pieces will be unevenly thick or too thin to peel (the tip of the stalk).  The mixed thickness gives the pizza a great variety of  texture. Discard tough ends.

3. Toss peelings with olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl.

4. Roll your pizza dough out on a 12 inch pan or pizza stone.  You can use a standard round pizza pan, square one, or keep your dough in an oblong shape – whatever you chose!

5.  Sprinkle pizza dough with Parmesan  then mozzarella cheese.

Shaved Asparagus Pizza

6. Pile asparagus on top.  **I added a little red pepper flakes here for some added flavor.

7. Bake pizza for 10 to 15 minutes, or until edges are browned, the cheese is bubbly and the asparagus might be lightly charred.

8. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with scallions, lemon juice and lemon zest.

9. Slice and eat!

Enjoy!!!

Mary and Jim

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