Kumquats Spring Pizza With Asparagus And Artichoke Hearts Recipes

PIZZA WITH ASPARAGUS, SPRING ONIONS, PANCETTA, AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• Heat a large, wide-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil, onions, and a large pinch of salt. Cook until the onions are soft, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and lowering the heat if needed to keep them from browning. Let cool.
• Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus. Slice the trimmed spears on the diagonal about 1/4 inch thick.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the asparagus and cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to chill quickly. Pat dry.
• Season the ricotta with salt and white pepper.
• At least 45 minutes before baking, put a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven and preheat the oven to its highest setting (500°F to 550°F).
• With lightly floured fingers, flatten a ball of pizza dough into a round on a lightly floured work surface. Pick up the round with both hands and, grasping the round by an edge, rotate the dough clockwise between your fingertips, always holding it by the edge. As you rotate the dough, stretch it into an 8-inch circle; the dough will also stretch and lengthen from its own weight. Alternatively, drape the flattened round over your lightly floured knuckles and rotate the dough, moving your knuckles slightly farther apart, until the round stretches into an 8-inch circle.
• Place on a pizza peel lightly dusted with cornmeal or durum flour. Work quickly now to prevent sticking.
• Using one-quarter of the onion mixture, spread it evenly over the surface of the dough. Scatter asparagus over the onions, using one-quarter of the total. Dollop one-quarter (4 ounces) of the ricotta on the pizza in 7 to 8 mounds. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon Parmesan. Arrange 5 pancetta slices, still coiled in rounds, on top, spacing them evenly.
• Slide the pizza onto the pizza stone and bake until the crust is brown and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Cut into slices and serve hot. Repeat with the remaining three balls of dough and the remaining topping.
• Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Sauvignon Blanc or another lean and refreshing white wine.

LUSCIOUS ARTICHOKE HEART PIZZA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F Spray 12-inch pizza pan or 13x9-inch pan with CRISCO® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray. Unroll pizza crust dough on pan; press dough to edge of pan. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown.
• Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet, cook butter and onion over medium heat 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is deep golden brown. Remove from heat; set aside.
• Spread spreadable cheese over partially baked crust. Spread onion over cheese; top with tomatoes and artichoke hearts.
• Bake 6 to 11 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown. Sprinkle with parsley and Parmesan cheese. Bake 3 minutes longer. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

ARTICHOKES, ASPARAGUS AND RED PEPPER PASTA

Steps:

• Dice one clove of garlic.
• Combine artichoke hearts, asparagus, red pepper, oil and diced garlic clove in a mixing bowl. Mix until all vegetables are covered.
• Spread onto baking sheet and broil in the oven until vegetables begin to brown. Remove from oven and set aside.
• Cook fettucini to preferred doneness.
• While pasta is cooking, Dice remaining cloves of garlic.
• In a large fry pan sauté garlic and onion in 1/4 cup of chicken broth. When softened add remaining chicken broth.
• When boiling add milk and bring to boil again.
• Reduce heat and add corn starch until sauce is thickened. Add grated Parmesan cheese and whisk until combined/melted well.
• When noodles are done, cover noodles in sauce.
• Serve with a helping of the roasted vegetables on top.

GRILLED SPRING PIZZA WITH ASPARAGUS, LEEKS AND PANCETTA

Steps:

• Fill a vase or large glass with cold water and soak the leeks for about 3 minutes to remove any grit.
• Meanwhile, run a vegetable peeler down the asparagus stalks to create ribbons and place in a medium bowl. Add the zest of half the lemon, the juice of the whole lemon and 1 tablespoon oil. Toss together and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Rinse the leeks well after soaking and thinly slice into half-moons.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and just lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl or plate and let cool to room temperature. Wipe out the skillet.
• Line a plate with paper towels. Put 1 tablespoon oil and the pancetta in the same skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until golden brown and crispy, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to the prepared plate to drain and cool.
• Brush a large grill pan with 1 tablespoon oil and preheat over medium-high heat.
• On a lightly floured surface, stretch the pizza dough into a long oval or rectangle to fit the grill pan. Brush the dough with 1 tablespoon oil and place oiled-side down onto the grill pan. Grill until charred and golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Brush the dough with 1 tablespoon oil.
• Lower the heat to medium. Flip the dough with a spatula. Top with the fontina, leek mixture and pancetta. Cover with an inverted baking sheet and cook until the bottom of the dough is charred and the cheese melts, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Top the pizza with the lemony asparagus. Garnish with Parmigiano-Reggiano, red pepper flakes and a drizzle of honey if desired. Slice and serve.

ASPARAGUS PIZZA

Steps:

• Shape dough into a ball by pulling sides down and folding into bottom at centre; cover with tea towel and let rest for 20 minutes.
• In a large bowl, mix asparagus, half of the oil, the salt & pepper; set aside.
• On a lightly floure surface, shape dough by pressing with fingertips and pulling edges to stretch into 16"x12" rectangle. Place on cornmeal dusted baking sheet.
• Stir remaining oil with garlic spread over dough. Top with asparagus, and cheeses.
• Bake at 425F until crust is golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

KUMQUAT'S ROASTED ARTICHOKE HEARTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Empty artichoke hearts into colander, rinse a bit to remove brine and drain well.
• Mix gently with olive oil and garlic slices.
• Place artichoke mix in metal roasting pan and roast for about 1 hour or more, or until artichokes start to brown. Toss once or twice if desired.
• To make breadcrumbs, toast one slice or so of a good quality, dense bread such as sourdough or panzanella or whole wheat(or use day old bread). Tear into pieces and toss into blender. Blend until processed into fine crumbs.
• Melt butter over medium-low heat in non-stick pan and add bread crumbs. Toss a few minutes until slightly browned (this will depend on how well your bread was toasted).
• Remove from heat and add parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind, vegetable broth, thyme, salt and pepper. Mix well.
• When artichokes are done roasting, remove from oven and increase oven temperature to 450°F Toss artichokes gently with juice of 1/2 lemon and then with breadcrumb mixture. Place artichokes in single layer of a 2 quart square baking pan. Sprinkle any remaining breadcrumb mixture over top.
• Bake for 15 minutes or so until warm and cheese has melted.

SPRING ASPARAGUS QUICHE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Coat a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
• In a medium saucepan cook the asparagus, covered, in a small amount of boiling water for 2 minutes.
• Drain; set aside.
• In a small bowl stir together the grated Parmesan and basil.
• Sprinkle a work surface with half of the mixture.
• Roll out pizza dough on the surface to a 12-inch square.
• Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan mixture.
• Using a rolling pin, gently press into dough by rolling over top.
• Turn dough into prepared pan.
• Press dough up the sides of the pan, folding under edges as needed to form sides that are 2 inches high.
• Line dough in pan with a double thickness of foil.
• Bake for 8 minutes.
• Remove foil.
• Bake 5 minutes more.
• Remove from oven.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, in a small skillet cook bacon until crisp.
• Drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings.
• Crumble bacon; set aside.
• Cook onion in reserved drippings over medium heat until tender but not brown; drain.
• In a medium mixing bowl stir together eggs, milk, salt, and nutmeg.
• Stir in crumbled bacon and onion.
• Toss together Swiss cheese and flour.
• Add to egg mixture; mix well.
• Pour egg mixture into the dough-lined pan.
• Toss asparagus halves with the oil.
• Arrange asparagus in a spokeline pattern on top of egg mixture.
• Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
• Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
• Remove sides of pan to serve.
• Top with shaved Parmesan cheese, if desired.
• Makes 6 main-dish servings.