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Asparagus, Bacon & Goat Cheese Pizza

I know it’s not quite asparagus time yet, but as a food writer I have lead time, and so generally I’m making back to school lunches before summer even arrives, and mincemeat pies on Canada Day.

Thus I have a glut of asparagus in the fridge from an asparagus story I was working on, and it is exciting to think that spring is technically here even if the green things haven’t quite caught up yet, and that these buds will be prodding their way out of the ground very soon. And when they do, we’ll be eating as many Alberta grown and snapped off by hand stalks as we can. Asparagus in its raw, natural state is surprisingly delicious – it tastes like freshly shelled peas – and it’s fabulous marinated and chilled, in a salad, dipped in hollandaise, sliced into ribbons and tossed onto a pizza.

I’ve seen shaved asparagus pizza (which triggers thoughts of a lady asparagus – dressed up Bugs Bunny-like – shaving her stalk) here and there, and yet my attempts at shaving my asparagus worked about as well as shaving my legs with an old razor in a stand-up shower. Sure, I got a few glamorous strips off, but wound up with a lot of annoying stubble. No matter; I tossed it all on the pizza with some goat cheese, purple onion and crumbled bacon in a very unladylike manner.

I never use a recipe for pizza – it’s a little like following one for a grilled cheese sandwich. Roll fresh dough out thin, any shape you like, put it on a cornmeal-dusted heavy baking sheet or some such, then spread it, top it, and bake it at 450F – the high temperature kindasorta simulates a pizza oven, which gets about twice as hot.

Yum.

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14 comments on “Asparagus, Bacon & Goat Cheese Pizza

  1. Todd
    April 10, 2012 at 7:22 pm

    that looks ridiculously good. I love the combo of flavors, and all of those things (especially asparagus) seem like they’d only improve in a hot oven. thanks!

  2. Jennifer Jo
    April 10, 2012 at 7:37 pm

    We’re in the middle of asparagus season, and living it up to the hilt, too.

  3. Barb
    April 10, 2012 at 7:38 pm

    Yum. Did you use tomato sauce as well?

  4. CathyH
    April 10, 2012 at 8:59 pm

    What a wonderful combination of flavours! I am going to make this tomorrow.

  5. Erica B.
    April 10, 2012 at 10:07 pm

    Wow definitely making this asap! Love Asparagus & goat cheese.

    Speaking of Asparagus, I just checked and the Asparagus Festival is later than usual this year: June 2&3 and coincides with the Spring Country Drive. Can’t wait!

  6. Happy geek
    April 10, 2012 at 10:39 pm

    I don’t even shave my asparagus for pizza, I just snap up skinny ones into bite sized pieces. And you Re right about recipes. Pizza is my favorite way to clean up my veggie crispers.

  7. Kathy
    April 11, 2012 at 4:54 pm

    I love asparagus..grilled on the bbq is my favorite way.

  8. Teri
    April 11, 2012 at 7:35 pm

    That sounds so good!

  9. Laurie from Burnaby
    April 11, 2012 at 11:57 pm

    I just saw my first asparagus coming up in the garden this morning! 🙂

  10. Robyn Stone | Add a Pinch
    April 12, 2012 at 7:31 am

    Now I’m craving pizza. This looks like perfection!

  11. Dan @ Dan's Good Side
    April 13, 2012 at 2:02 pm

    Are those dried cranberries on top?

    That looks amazing!

  12. Jennifer Jo
    April 28, 2012 at 4:53 pm

    Made that pizza tonight. Sooooo good!

  13. Pamela
    May 5, 2016 at 1:46 pm

    Simply FYI:

    The link to the dough recipe didn’t work.

    If you use the kind of peeler that comes in a rectangular shape (as opposed to the kind with the handle) you can shave asparagus more easily. I found last week that I could even shave two spears simultaneously. Lay them down on your cutting board and shave them that way.

    • Julie
      May 6, 2016 at 9:04 am

      Ooh, good tip! and sorry.. it seems there are some broken links that need finding and fixing! Thanks!

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