Bacon and Asparagus Pizza
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 4 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 4 servings
- Calories
- 815
- Total Fat
- 44
- Saturated Fat
- 15
- Carbohydrates
- 74
- Dietary Fiber
- 8
- Sugar
- 9
- Protein
- 32
- Cholesterol
- 69
- Sodium
- 1486
- Total: 1 hr 50 min
- Prep: 15 min
- Inactive: 1 hr
- Cook: 35 min
Ingredients
1 (16-ounce) ball pizza dough
Basic Pizza Sauce, recipe follows
1 pound fresh asparagus, 8 spears trimmed and remaining cut into 1/2-inch coins
Olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces shredded mozzarella
1/2 red onion, sliced into 1/2 moons
5 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
Basic Pizza Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, sliced
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons torn fresh basil
Pinch sugar, as necessary
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Adjust oven racks to the middle of the oven. Place a cast iron pizza stone or pan in the oven to heat for 1 hour.
- Blanch asparagus 1 minute in a large pot of boiling salted water, then remove and shock in a bowl of ice water. Drain well.
- Place asparagus in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine well.
- Flour your work surface and roll the pizza dough into a 12-inch diameter. Carefully remove the cast iron pizza stone from the oven and put the dough on top.
- Ladle the sauce to cover the bottom of the pizza and top with mozzarella, red onion, bacon, and asparagus coins. Arrange the 8 whole pieces of asparagus fanned out from the center the pizza, like spokes on a bicycle.
- Bake until golden and crisp and the cheese has melted, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Basic Pizza Sauce:
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic slices, and red pepper flakes, and saute until the edges of the garlic begin to turn golden, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, salt, and pepper and let simmer 15 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the torn basil. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
Cook’s Note
Sometimes a pinch of sugar will help balance out the acidity of the tomatoes.