Asparagus Bacon Herbed Cheese Pizza Recipes

BACON ASPARAGUS PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Place bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for a few minutes to release most of the grease, but do not cook until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain.
• Spread the pizza crust out on a pizza pan or large baking sheet. Top with mozzarella cheese, bacon pieces, asparagus, and tomatoes. Dot with goat cheese, then season with red pepper flakes and black pepper.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until the crust is golden brown underneath when you lift it up to take a peek. Let cool for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

FRIED ASPARAGUS WITH BACON

Steps:

• Cook and stir bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Discard grease.
• Melt butter in the same skillet.
• Cook and stir asparagus and shallot with salt and black pepper in melted butter and bacon. Cover skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus are tender, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer asparagus mixture to a platter. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

ASPARAGUS PIZZA

Steps:

• Trim 1/2 pound asparagus. Cut each stalk in half lengthwise, then crosswise into 2-inch pieces. Form 1 pound refrigerated pizza dough (at room temperature) into an 11-by-15-inch rectangle on an oiled piece of parchment. Top with the asparagus and 1 cup shredded fontina. Slide the crust (on the parchment) onto a preheated pizza stone or inverted baking sheet. Bake at 475˚ until the bottom is crisp, 12 minutes. Top with pesto and red pepper flakes.

ASPARAGUS, EGG, AND CHEESE STRATA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350˚F (176˚C). Butter a smallish, 4-cup ovenproof baking dish.
• Trim the crusts from the bread and toss them to the birds or in the compost. Place the slices of bread in the baking dish, overlapping the slices slightly and, if necessary, allowing the edges to hang over the side of the dish just a little.
• Whisk together the eggs and milk. Stir in half of the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Pour 3/4 of the egg mixture over the bread and set the rest of the egg mixture aside.
• Break off the stem ends of the asparagus where each one snaps naturally. Cut the spears into 1 1/2-inch lengths.
• Layer the prosciutto or mortadella, if using, on the bread. Place the asparagus spears on top and pour the remaining egg mixture over the asparagus. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese. At this point, if you have the time, we strongly encourage you to cover the strata with plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight to allow the bread to soak up the egg mixture and so the flavors can meld.
• Bake the strata until set, 30 to 35 minutes. (If you refrigerated the strata overnight and are baking it straight from the fridge, you may need to allow a few extra minutes baking time.)
• Let the strata cool slightly. Grind a little pepper over the top, if you please, and sprinkle with chives, if using. Plonk the baking dish on the table and scoop the strata straight from it onto plates. Originally published March 26, 2012.

ASPARAGUS WITH HERBED CHEESE ON TOAST

Steps:

• Snap off tough ends of asparagus; remove scales with a knife or vegetable peeler, if desired.
• Drop asparagus and onion wedges into a large saucepan of boiling water; cook 3-4 minutes.
• Drain and plunge into ice water; drain well.
• Pat dry with a paper towel; set aside.
• Combine ricotta cheese, fresh thyme, chives, and chervil in a bowl; stir well, and set aside.
• Cut bread crosswise into 6 (1-inch-thick) slices; reserve remaining bread for another use.
• Toast bread slices under broiler until golden brown.
• Spread cheese mixture evenly over bread and set aside.
• Heat non-stick skillet with olive oil.
• Add onion, salt, and pepper; saute for 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Add asparagus and heat.
• Top bread with onions and asparagus.
• Place briefly under the broiler to heat.

ASPARAGUS, BACON & HERBED CHEESE PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°. Place crust on an ungreased 12-in. pizza pan or baking sheet; brush top with 4 teaspoons oil. Top with mozzarella cheese, asparagus and bacon. Drop spreadable cheese by teaspoonfuls over pizza. Sprinkle with pepper flakes; drizzle with remaining oil., Bake 12-15 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned.

ASPARAGUS, HERB AND GOAT CHEESE PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Add the goat cheese, ricotta and 2 eggs to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Pulse until the mixture is evenly combined. Next, add the Parmesan, parsley, chives, dill, lemon zest, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Pulse once again to combine all the ingredients. The mixture may look slightly liquidy, but once it bakes the egg will help stabilize the cheese mixture. Set aside.
• On a separate rimmed baking sheet, toss the asparagus with the olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
• Unroll the puff pastry on a lightly floured work space and dust a rolling pin lightly with flour. Roll the puff pastry out to a 13-by-11-inch rectangle. Add the goat cheese-herb mixture to the puff pastry and spread it out into an even layer, leaving a 1-inch border all the way around the puff pastry. Nestle in the asparagus into the cheese mixture, alternating directions.
• To make the egg wash, whisk the remaining egg with a splash of water. Use a pastry brush to brush the exposed crust all the way around the edges.
• Transfer the tart to the oven and bake until the crust is golden and the cheese mixture is set, 25 to 30 minutes