The Rustic Tuscan (pizza)

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Ingredients

Basil sauce:

  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup loosely packed basil leaves, finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Toppings:

  • 12 spears asparagus, tough ends removed
  • 4 medium tomatoes cut into wedges
  • 1 small eggplant, thinly slice
  • 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced 1/4-inch thick

Directions

Combine all the sauce ingredients and set aside.

Toss the asparagus, tomatoes and eggplant in a bit of the basil sauce and place on a pre-heated grill. Cook for a scant 4 to 5 minutes or until slightly tender.

Generously coat each dough round with some of the basil sauce and top with the grilled vegetables. Layer slices of mozzarella on top of the vegetables and brush with the remaining basil sauce.

Dough

Use your favorite recipe for pizza dough and shape it into four eight-inch rounds.

Add toppings and place rounds on a greased baking sheet and into a preheated 500º F oven. Turn the heat down to 450º F and bake for about 8 minutes, or until the crust is golden.

Special notes:

These mini-pizzas, created by PCC Chef Lynne Vea, are an easy, mix-and-match way to sample the season’s freshest flavors. For a decidedly Northwest taste, choose fresh ingredients that are grown and produced close to home.

More pizza recipes in this series by Lynne Vea:

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