Shaved Asparagus Spring Pizza: Recipe & Video
Click here to watch video!The latest recipe featured on Studio 5 was this yummy, fresh Spring Pizza. It is a great way to incorporate the first flavors of the season baked in a tasty crust. If you are a dough-making fiend, use your favorite recipe for pizza dough. If you are like me, and dough is the enemy, feel free to save a little time and buy some fresh made dough from your favorite pizza restaurant or market. For an added health benefit, use Skim or 1 % milk in the Bechamel sauce. The result will pack all the same flavor, without the added fat and calories. Recipe below.
Spring Pizza with White SauceIngredients:
- Bechamel sauce (see below)
- 1 fresh pizza dough ball (can be store bought)
- ½ bunch asparagus, shaved (about 8-10 stalks)
- 1 bunch spring onions, chop the whites
- ½ lemon
- 1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Fresh ground pepper
- Fresh grated Parmesan and Romano cheeses
- 1 Tbs. flour (for your hands to work the dough)
- 4 Tbs. Butter
- 3 Tbs. Flour
- 1 clove Garlic (minced)
- 3 c. Milk
- 1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
- 1 tsp. Salt
- ¼ c. Parmesan cheese
Directions:1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.2. To make one batch of béchamel sauce, heat butter in a sauce pan over medium heat until it is melted and frothy, but not browned. Add garlic. Stir in flour, and mix until roux consistency is smooth and granular (sandy), and has a tan-ish color (about 5-7 minutes). Meanwhile, heat milk in another small sauce pan over medium heat. When milk is warm to the touch (test a spoonful), gradually begin to add milk to the roux mixture while stirring the whole time to ensure a smooth sauce, and to avoid burning on the bottom. When all milk has been incorporated, stir in nutmeg. Add salt and stir in cheese. Remove from burner and set aside.3. Flour your hands, and begin to work the pizza dough. Toss the dough in your hands until it has become stretched and pliable, but avoid tearing. Spread dough on a baking sheet. You can create whatever shape you like for your pizza: round, rectangular, oblong... Roll the sides of the dough to form a crust around all edges.4. Pre-bake dough for 10 minutes.5. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a sautee pan over medium heat. Add the spring onion whites, and sweat for 1-2 minutes. Add the asparagus shavings, and mix thoroughly with onions. Squeeze the juice of ½ lemon over the mixture, and add a dash of salt and pepper to taste. Sautee for an additional minute or two. Remove from heat.6. Spread your desired amount of béchamel sauce over the pre-baked pizza crust. Add asparagus and onion as topping, and finish off by sprinkling a layer of Parmesan and Romano cheeses over the top of the veggies.7. Bake pizza (uncovered) at 350° for 15-20 minutes. Use your judgment for when it’s done! The cheese should be bubbly, and the crust golden brown.