They say that no winter lasts forever. It sure seemed that the last half of our winter in the upper Midwest was destined to take after the Energizer Bunny. It just kept going, and going, and..you get the idea! Today is a new day. I can triumphantly proclaim that today is the first day of spring! And the weather outlook looks much warmer. Thank goodness!
Yesterday I needed to come up with an idea for dinner that embodied the spirit of spring - full of possibilities plus feature a seasonal ingredient. It also needed to come together quick as I did not have much time to prep. I had a beautiful bunch of fresh asparagus in the refrigerator ready for action. Its arrival in the grocery stores is a welcome sign of spring if ever there was one.
Being a little adventurous I surveyed the refrigerator and came up with a plan - asparagus, mozzarella, ham, Parmesan, a pizza dough ball, what more did I need? Well, perhaps a little olive oil plus salt and pepper, and I had the makings of a quick, casual feast to help usher out winter and to welcome in spring. I also needed a hot oven; around 500 degrees.
Here's what you need (in order of construction):
Stretch your dough to form a round crust, drizzle 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil on a round pizza pan, place your dough, and add toppings in the above order. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 500 degrees for 15 minutes.
You might think that a pizza with asparagus and no sauce might be bland and somewhat crunchy. This was not the case! The thinly-sliced roasted asparagus was tender and developed caramelized notes while retaining its fresh flavor. Combined with toasted smoky ham, gooey mozzarella, salty/tangy Parmesan, and crunchy-chewy, yeasty crust, it was the perfect balance of flavors and textures.
Lisa, my taster and better-half, after finishing a slice proclaimed, "This is a winner!" I replied, "Winner! Winner! Last day of winter dinner!" Technically, winter's not over until later today but yesterday was, indeed, the last full day of winter so I think I can get away with it.
I don't know how to top that other than to say, "Hello spring!"
Warm spring wishes to You and Yours!
Greg
Yesterday I needed to come up with an idea for dinner that embodied the spirit of spring - full of possibilities plus feature a seasonal ingredient. It also needed to come together quick as I did not have much time to prep. I had a beautiful bunch of fresh asparagus in the refrigerator ready for action. Its arrival in the grocery stores is a welcome sign of spring if ever there was one.
Being a little adventurous I surveyed the refrigerator and came up with a plan - asparagus, mozzarella, ham, Parmesan, a pizza dough ball, what more did I need? Well, perhaps a little olive oil plus salt and pepper, and I had the makings of a quick, casual feast to help usher out winter and to welcome in spring. I also needed a hot oven; around 500 degrees.
Here's what you need (in order of construction):
- 1 refrigerated pizza dough ball (or thawed from frozen is good). They typically can be stretched/formed for a 14-inch diameter crust.
- 2 plus cups grated mozzarella cheese (Thanks Crystal Farms! Left over from a recent photo-shoot)
- Approx. 1/2 lb. (approx. 18 medium-diameter spears - like a man's pinky-finger) of ribboned or thin-sliced asparagus. You can shave the asparagus like you are sharpening a pencil with a knife. Hold the woody base of the asparagus in your hand and lightly shave shards of each spear away from you. Compost the woody ends or place them in your yard for the bunnies to eat. You can also try your hand with a vegetable peeler. I kind of prefer a sharp knife for this though. Toss the asparagus shavings with a tablespoon of olive oil.
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups of diced smoked ham
- 1/2 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese (or an Italian cheese blend)
- Kosher salt and coarsely-ground black pepper to taste
Stretch your dough to form a round crust, drizzle 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil on a round pizza pan, place your dough, and add toppings in the above order. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 500 degrees for 15 minutes.
You might think that a pizza with asparagus and no sauce might be bland and somewhat crunchy. This was not the case! The thinly-sliced roasted asparagus was tender and developed caramelized notes while retaining its fresh flavor. Combined with toasted smoky ham, gooey mozzarella, salty/tangy Parmesan, and crunchy-chewy, yeasty crust, it was the perfect balance of flavors and textures.
Lisa, my taster and better-half, after finishing a slice proclaimed, "This is a winner!" I replied, "Winner! Winner! Last day of winter dinner!" Technically, winter's not over until later today but yesterday was, indeed, the last full day of winter so I think I can get away with it.
I don't know how to top that other than to say, "Hello spring!"
Warm spring wishes to You and Yours!
Greg
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