One of the very first local veggies we can get each spring here in New England is asparagus. This year, the wait seemed even longer than usual, but finally I saw posts on the local farm's Facebook page saying it was in and I headed right over.
I wasn't able to use it that day, so I trimmed the stalks a bit and stored it in a tall glass with some water in the bottom. I flipped through my stack of recipes using asparagus that I've saved to try, and this Asparagus, Bacon, and Herbed Cheese Pizza was my first choice.
I made a few slight variations from the original recipe. First, since I was the only one who would eat it, I bought 2 individual size crusts instead of one large one. This way I could enjoy one pizza that day and then freeze the other for a later meal.
Secondly, I swapped out the cheese called for since I had a large amount of Vermont sharp cheddar on hand. I will also state that I did not measure the cheese, I just grabbed a handful out of the bag and sprinkled it on. I used ready to eat bacon, which is a great time saver. I'll also be upfront and say that I used a lot more asparagus tips than I did stalks for this, because I like them more and they look prettier.
I also did not measure the spreadable herb cheese. I just dropped it on by the tablespoon wherever I felt like it. Seriously, life is too short to measure cheese, and the only ill effect that could come out of using too much in this recipe is having to wait a little while longer for it to melt/brown. No big deal.
The finished pizza looked absolutely amazing. It took a lot of willpower to let it sit uneaten while I took pictures, checked them to make sure they'd come out, retook a few. Yay, I could sit and eat! Crispy crust, melty cheese, delicious bacon, and that fresh spring asparagus, so good. I loved the little bit of heat from the crushed red pepper flakes, too.
Asparagus, Bacon and Herbed Cheese Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 prebaked 12-inch pizza crust or 2 personal size
- 6 teaspoons olive oil, divided
- 1 cup shredded cheese (I used Vermont sharp cheddar)
- 2 1/4 cups cut fresh asparagus (1-inch pieces)
- 8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
- 1/2 cup garlic-herb spreadable cheese (about 3 ounces)
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- 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.
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