Grilled Asparagus Ricotta Pizza

I’m still not exactly sure where summer went, because I think it was pretty much last week that I was planting my herbs and throwing all the windows in the house open…but the leaves are just starting to get that look…

…and so I am laying on the grill recipes while there is still time.  Not that the Southern husband won’t go out and grill in the snow…but somehow, it’s not the same.  And along with this summer’s favorite grill recipe, which is Buttermilk Grilled Chicken, one of my top choices for the grill is grilled pizza. 

This summer we have had the classic cheese and basil grilled pizza, a fabulous bacon and rosemary grilled pizza, and most recently that little number pictured above, which is a grilled asparagus and ricotta cheese pizza.

(Side note: I used to drive myself crazy trying to roll the pizza dough out into a perfect little circle, until one day I realized that I actually liked the abstract shapes better.  Which is why that particular pizza kind of looks like Snoopy’s head, only without the ears.)

Anyway.  I used my foolproof pizza dough recipe from Cooks Illustrated, which never ever lets me down.  Roast some asparagus in the oven and get your hands on some fresh ricotta (you can buy it at the supermarket, or you can be crazy like me and make your own.  It’s not hard, I promise.).  Grill up that pizza dough on your grill, slather it with ricotta, lay the asparagus on top, drizzle it with some olive oil and some grated parmesan cheese and a good grinding of black pepper.  It’s almost enough to make the end of summer bearable…that and the thought of all those pumpkin recipes in our near future.

Grilled Asparagus Ricotta Pizza

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup water at room temperature
• 2 cups bread flour
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• One large bunch thin asparagus
• 2 cups fresh ricotta
• Olive oil for drizzling
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Fresh ground pepper

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Instructions

1. Mix water and oil
2. Add bread flour, sugar, salt and yeast to food processor. Pulse once or twice to mix.
3. While running, add water mixture through tube. Process until dough forms a ball that clears the sides of the bowl. If dough doesn’t form a ball, add more flour one tablespoon at a time until it does.
4. Transfer dough to mixing bowl sprayed with olive oil. Cover and let rise for 2 hours.
5. Right before you are going to make the pizza, roast the asparagus by tossing with a little olive oil and salt and roasting in a 425 degree oven for about 10 minutes. Set aside.
6. Divide dough into 4 sections. Roll into balls, dust with flour, and roll each one out to about a 6-8 inch size crust. Don’t worry if the shape isn’t perfect, grilled pizza is supposed to look rustic! Layer crusts in between wax paper.
7. Heat grill to medium high and lay crusts on grill. Grill for about 5 minutes, lifting up to check every minute to make sure the crusts aren’t cooking too fast. Pop any big dough bubbles with a knife. When the first side is getting brown and charred, flip over with tongs and cook on other side until done.
8. Spread crust with fresh ricotta, top with asparagus and Parmesan. Drizzle olive oil over all and top with fresh ground pepper.
9. Note: you can substitute soft goat cheese for the ricotta if you like. Yum!