The sky may have dropped 12 inches of snow in Central Indiana on Sunday night, but according to my weather app, 54˚ weather is only a few days away. Finally, spring is upon us!
Asparagus is my favorite spring vegetable. I don’t think I’ve ever had anything with asparagus on it that I didn’t like. Beer-battered asparagus, oven roasted asparagus, asparagus frittatas, asparagus soup — all are fantastic. This pizza is no different. This Artichoke Asparagus Pizza was yet another “what’s left in my fridge?” creation, but because it turned out so well and is budget-friendly and healthy, I knew it was perfect for sharing with all of you.I think if I make this again, I will add cooked spinach to the toppings list. Other than that, amazingly my meat-loving boyfriend even seemed to like it (which means it has to be good). It was even better on the second day, after being heated in the toaster oven. Nothing beats leftover pizza. Except maybe ice cream … a book … day at the beach … or a great cup of coffee, that is.
- [b]For the crust:[/b]
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 pinch baking powder
- 2 tbs plain greek yogurt (from a 6 oz. container)
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 tbs sugar
- [br][br][b]For the pizza:[/b]
- The rest of the greek yogurt (after making the crust)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 asparagus spears, trimmed, halved lengthwise, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/2 can artichoke hearts rinsed and squeezed dry, roughly chopped
- 5 ounces brie cheese
- Grated Parmesan for topping
- In a mixing bowl add flour, baking powder, salt and sugar and mix until combined. Mix in oil and yogurt. In a small ramekin, mix the yeast and warm water and let it sit for 2 minutes. Mix the water mixture with the flour mixture and knead well for about 3 minutes. Cover and let it sit for 3-4 hours.
- Preheat oven to 425˚F. In a small saucepan, combine the greek yogurt, butter, grated Parmesan and minced garlic and heat on low until fragrant.
- Uncover dough and knead for another minute. Form the dough into a ball, coat it with flour and set on a pizza stone. Using fingertips, gently flatten and stretch into 12-inch round disk. Using the back of a spoon, spread the sauce, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge.
- Remove rind from Brie and discard. Cut Brie into 1/4-in. slices. Sprinkle artichoke hearts and asparagus pieces over pizza evenly. Top with Brie slices and bake in oven for 20 minutes, or until crust is golden. Let sit for 5 minutes before slicing. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan for added flavor.