Grilled Spring Pizza With Asparagus Leeks And Pancetta Recipes

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.

SPRING VEGETABLE PIZZAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a medium bowl, combine artichoke hearts, asparagus, and tomatoes. On a large piece of parchment paper, brush 1 dough half with artichoke-heart marinade and roll out to a 14-inch-long oval. Transfer dough on parchment to a rimmed baking sheet and top with half the vegetables, leaving a 1-inch border. Brush border with marinade and season pizza with salt and pepper. Repeat to make second pizza. Bake pizzas 10 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Sprinkle pizzas with cheese and bake until crust is deep golden and cheese is melted, 3 to 5 minutes.

GRILLED PIZZAS WITH LEEKS, ASPARAGUS, AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add leeks; cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook until tender and juices have evaporated, about 4 minutes. Add the asparagus and wine; cook until asparagus is bright green and wine has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Stir in thyme; season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Heat a grill until medium-hot. Generously brush one side of pizza dough with olive oil; grill, oiled side down, until underside is golden brown and top begins to bubble, 3 to 5 minutes. Quickly brush top with olive oil; flip crust. Top with a thin layer of cheese and some of the asparagus mixture. Grill until cheese is just melted, topping is hot, and crust is cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes more.
• Slide pizza with a large spatula onto a cutting board. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with more thyme, and with a small amount of truffle oil, if desired. Repeat to make more pizzas.

GRILLED PIZZAS WITH LEEKS, ASPARAGUS, AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the leeks; cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms; cook until tender and juices have evaporated, about 4 minutes. Add the asparagus and wine; cook until the asparagus is bright green and the wine has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Stir in the thyme; season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Heat a grill until medium-hot. Generously brush one side of the pizza dough with olive oil; grill, oiled side down, until the underside is golden brown and the top begins to bubble, 3 to 5 minutes. Quickly brush the top with olive oil; flip the crust. Top with a thin layer of cheese and some of the asparagus mixture. Grill until the cheese is just melted, the topping is hot, and the crust is cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes more.
• Slide the pizza with a large spatula onto a cutting board. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with more thyme and with a small amount of truffle oil, if desired. Repeat to make more pizzas.

ASPARAGUS AND RED PEPPER PIZZA (WHITE OR RED)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F.
• Steam the asparagus and bell pepper with a small amount of water in a covered saucepan, until tender crisp, and drain.
• Place the crust on a pan, spread the sauce or ricotta cheese evenly over it. Sprinkle with the cheese, followed by the asparagus-bell pepper mixture.
• Bake until the cheese is bubbly, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, let stand for 2 to 3 minutes, and cut into 6 or 8 wedges to serve.
• Asparagus and Red Pepper Pizza (this page)
• Dilled Barley and Green Bean Salad (page 47)
• (with marinara)
• Calories: 250
• Total Fat: 6g
• Protein: 15g
• Carbohydrate: 32g
• Cholesterol: 19mg
• Sodium: 553mg
• (with ricotta)
• Calories: 320
• Total Fat: 10g
• Protein: 22g
• Carbohydrate: 32g
• Cholesterol: 40mg
• Sodium: 441mg

GRILLED PIZZAS WITH ASPARAGUS AND SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat grill to medium. In a large bowl, combine asparagus, scallions, and 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato oil; season with salt and pepper. Grill, turning occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 6 to 9 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut asparagus and scallions into thirds.
• Brush a large baking sheet with 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato oil. On a lightly floured work surface, divide dough in half. Roll or stretch to form two 9-inch ovals. Transfer to prepared sheet, and brush with remaining tablespoon sun-dried tomato oil.
• Transfer dough pieces to grill. Cook until undersides are firm and beginning to char, 2 to 3 minutes. Using tongs or a large spatula, transfer crusts, grilled side up, back to baking sheet.
• Dividing evenly, top crusts with ricotta, then asparagus, scallions, and sun-dried tomatoes; season with salt and pepper. Slide back onto grill and cook, rotating occasionally, until crusts are cooked through and cheese is melted, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer pizzas to a cutting board, cut in half, and serve.

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.