just grill it. [grilled flatbread w. asparagus pesto and fontina]

By Andy

This asparagus pesto pizza is by far one of my favorite appetizers my brother Andy makes. So, when he made the pizza the other week, I had to snap a few shots so I could feature it on my site.

The creamy pesto and gooey cheeses perfectly juxtapose the slightly charred pizza crust. My description and photos don’t do it justice though–you need to eat a slice yourself to understand. Thank you Bobby Flay for your ingenious recipes.

If you have any vegetarian friends, I highly suggest making this for them. :)

Recipe:

1 lb. grilled asparagus

1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tbsp. pine nuts

3/4 cup, plus 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup, plus 4 tbsp. grated Pecorino Romano

1 lb. fontina cheese, thinly sliced

1 large prepared pizza shell (recommended: Boboli)

Directions:

Heat grill to high.

Combine the asparagus, basil, garlic and pine nuts in a food processor or blender, and pulse a few times to coarsely chop. With the motor running, slowly add the oil and process until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper and transfer the pesto to a bowl. Stir in the Pecorino Romano.

Place pizza shell on the grill. Grill until slightly crisp, about 1 minute. Remove the shells and spread each with the pesto. Top with the fontina, return to the grill, close the cover and continue cooking until the cheese has melted, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from the grill and sprinkle with the remaining Romano cheese. Slice each flatbread into bite-sized pieces.