Been to a Farm Lately? (Recipe: Asparagus & Cherry Tomato Pizza)

by Cheryl on April 22, 2010

in What's for Dinner?

This summer, take the time to get a little dirty and source your food outside the market. Get to know the people who make your food.  See where your food comes from. And eat it right from the ground, dirt and all.
Photo by Cheryl

Asparagus and Tomato Pizza

Use your favorite pizza dough (or my version) to create a summery pizza.  Vary the toppings according to what’s in season and what you find that day on your farm visit.

• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 bunch asparagus
• 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Pizza Dough

1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Pull out your dough into rough 8-10 inch circles. Place onto a thick cookie sheet or pizza stone sprinkled with cornmeal.
2. Trim any rough bits from your asparagus (if it is farm fresh you shouldn’t have to do a thing). Cook in boiling water for 1 minute then immediately submerge in ice water to stop the cooking.
3. Drizzle your stretched pizza dough with the garlic and olive oil.  Arrange the asparagus and halved tomatoes over the pizza. Sprinkle the feta and oregano on top. Add an extra drizzle of olive oil on top.
4. Bake for 10-15 minutes until pizza is cooked all the way through and cheese is bubbling slightly.

Kayotic Pizza Party

Here is where you'll find the site that I found this amazing food! Kayotic Kitchen

It’s almost weekend, guys! For us that means pizza time! Or in this case: pizza snack time. These are fast, fun and unlike pizza, you can prepare them ahead of time and eat them warm as well as cold. One side note: you might as well stick ‘em on your thighs straight away, because that’s where they’re gonna end up. But oh boy, do they taste good!


Ingredients:
5 puff pastry sheets
pesto rosso
roughly 10 black olives
1/2 a red onion
4 artichoke hearts
1 mozarrella ball
1 tomato
parmesan
dried basil

Directions:
I’m such a sad excuse for a food blogger; I don’t even own a dough cutter. I simply use a glass. What I do own are these mini pizza trays. Large and small. They’re so handy for these type of snacks. Also for my pepper & corn pies. You can use a regular muffin pan as well for this.


I use the glass to cut out pastry circles.


Knead the leftovers, sprinkle a little flour on top and roll it out. Cut out more circles and repeat the process until the dough is gone.


Grease your muffin or mini pizza pan—mine is non-stick—and place the pastry circles in there. Pinch the dough with a fork. Just a few times.


Slice the olives and try to make an artistic shot. I failed miserably.


Thinly slice the red onion.


Artichoke hearts add juiciness and even more flavor to an already perfect snack. Drain them and give them a rough chop. Don’t add too much or the dough will get soggy. It ain’t pretty.


Slice, cube or do whatever you want to do with a big, juicy tomato. I opted for pomodori. Same as with the artichoke hearts, not too much.


No pizza without mozzarella. Release your inner beast and shred it to pieces.


I make my own pesto rosso, that way I know exactly what’s in it. You can use commercial pesto rosso (or pesto verde) as well. The oil in the pesto seeps into the dough giving it a wicked flavor and color. It’s mind-blowing.


Spoon a little pesto rosso on top of each pastry circle.


Add a little bit of onion.


And in with the olive slices. Olives are love. Pure love.


Put the artichoke hearts in there as well.


Next, I add the mozzarella and top that with a little tomato. Sprinkle dried basil and some Parmesan on top. I went for the canned stuff, sue me.


Pop them in a preheated oven and bake them at 400F (200C) for 20 to 25 minutes. Until crispy, puffy, golden brown and totally delicious.

Disclaimer: if you’re by any chance dieting while reading this, I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. Don’t hate me… I’ll eat yours as well. After all, that’s what friends are for!