SHAVED ASPARAGUS, TOMATO AND PANCETTA PIZZA

Ingredients

• 1
  
  extra thin 14-15 inch pizza crust
  
• 3/4
  
  pound fresh asparagus
  
• 5
  
  green onions, thinly sliced
  
• 2
  
  garlic cloves, minced
  
• 1/2
  
  cup feta, crumbled
  
• 
  
  Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
  
• 3
  
  tablespoons good quality, extra virgin olive oil
  
• 
  
  Sprinkling of sea salt
  
• 
  
  Several grinds of black pepper
  
• 4
  
  cups good quality mozzarella, shredded
  
• 2
  
  firm, just ripe tomatoes, halved then sliced very thin
  
• 1/3
  
  pound pancetta, diced, fried ’til just crispy chewy
  

Directions

1. Prepare asparagus: No need to snap off the ends; they can be your ‘handles’ as you peel the asparagus. Holding a single asparagus spear by its tough end, lay it flat on a cutting board and using a vegetable peeler (a Y-shaped peeler works best, but any old peeler will do), create long shavings of asparagus by drawing the peeler from the base to the top of the stalk. Repeat with remaining stalks and no worries if some pieces are thicker, or some break off before you’ve finished shaving them, if need be tear the thickies up a bit and be done with it as the mixed textures give a great character to the pizza. Discard tough ends.
2. Toss peelings with sliced green onions, minced garlic, feta, lemon zest and juice and olive oil in a bowl. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper, toss gently and have a taste to make sure you know what you’ve been missing up til now. You’ll be happy you did.
3. Preheat oven to 450F. Plunk pizza crust onto a large (12′ x 17′) baking sheet, I cut an inch or so off two edges of my crust and laid them on the sheet snugged up to the rest of the crust so there was no overhang. Top crust with about 2/3 of the grated mozzarella. Pile the asparagus mixture on top, then the tomato slices and tasty little pancetta tidbits. Scatter the rest of the mozzarella on top and slip this baby into the hot oven. Bake pizza 12-18 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and happy. Remove from oven, slice and eat. Mamma Mia!