Grilled Asparagus Pesto Pizza

Ingredients

Pizza Dough

• 1.5
  
  teaspoons active dry yeast
  
• 1.5
  
  cups tepid water
  
• 2
  
  tablespoons olive oil
  
• 4-4.5
  
  cups All purpose or bread flour seperated
  
• 2
  
  teaspoons salt
  

Grilled asparagus pesto

• 2
  
  pounds Fresh Asparagus
  
• 1
  
  cup Packed fresh basil leaves plus extra chopped for garnish
  
• 5
  
  Cloves garlic roughly chopped
  
• 4
  
  tablespoons Pine Nuts
  
• 1.5-2
  
  cups extra virgin olive oil
  
• 1
  
  cup grated Pecorino or Parmesan
  
• 2
  
  pounds Fontina grated
  

Directions

Pizza Dough

1. Stir yeast and water in bowl from mixer. Let rest for 5 minutes until creamy and foamy.
2. Stir in oil and 2.25 cups of the flour until well incorporated. Cover and let sponge rest in warm place for about 1.5 hours until doubled in volume and very bubbly. It should fall easily when bowl is tapped.
3. Stir in salt and 2 cups of flour into the sponge and mix with dough hook on low speed until all flour is hydrated. increase to medium and mix for 4-5 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. Add more flour a spoonful at a time if dough is not coming together. It should clean the sides of the bowl.
4. Place dough in lightly oiled bowl and turn to coat. cover and let rise again in warm place until doubled in bulk and it holds an impression of your finger when you poke it.
5. turn out dough onto lightly floured surface and divide into 4 equal pieces. If you do not want to use all of the dough, you can wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to a month. Shape dough into ball and flatten into disc. You can either roll or stretch dough into pizza shape. the thinner the better. Put crust onto peel dusted with cornmeal or semolina flour.

Grilled asparagus pesto

1. Trim off bottoms of asparagus. Toss asparagus lightly with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill over hot coals until slightly tender and beginning to char. allow to cool.
2. Combine in food processor: asparagus, basil garlic and pine nuts. pulse a few times. While motor is running, slowly add olive oil until well combined and emulsified. season with salt and pepper to taste and combine with the grated pecorino.
3. Pre-heat pizza stone over hot coals. Drizzle a small amount of oil over the raw pizza crust. Spread pesto over crust and sprinkle fontina over pesto.
4. Slide pizza onto stone and place lid on grill. Keep an eye on it as you may need to rotate the pizza to prevent burning the crust. 5-6 minutes depending on grill temp. Remove and let rest for 5 minutes. slice and serve immediately.