Dave has been spoiling me lately with some amazing dinners and quite frankly I’m getting nervous he may branch out and start his own blog (that’s a lotta blog in one house y’all)! Until that day I’m happy to share the yummy meals I’m lucky enough to come home to here on givememeatloaf. This pizza was great, the robiola was super creamy, the lemon zest gave it a great tart twang (is that a word? doesn’t matter) and the Romano cheese gave a hint of saltiness. This recipe would also be tasty with caramalized onions or prosciutto if you want to meat it up. We ate the whole damn thing and we’d do it again.

Ingredients:
For the dough:
500 grams (17 ½ ounces or about 3 ¾ cups) all-purpose flour, plus more for shaping the dough
1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 tsp fine sea salt
1 ½ cups water
Topping:
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 oz robiolo cheese, thinly sliced (you could also substitute goat cheese)
6 large spears fresh asparagus, trimmed and thinly shaved with a vegetable peeler
1 cup shaved Romano (use a vegetable peeler)
1 tsp finely grated fresh lemon zest
1/4 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped

A pizza stone is also needed for this recipe.

To make the dough:
Note that this recipe makes 3 portions of dough (we froze the other 2) and needs to be made the day before. In a medium bowl, thoroughly blend the flour, yeast, and salt. Add the water and, with a wooden spoon or your hands, mix thoroughly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and allow it to rise at room temperature (about 72°F) for 18 hours or until it has more than doubled. It will take longer in a chilly room and less time in a very warm one. Flour a work surface and scrape out the dough. Divide it into 3 equal parts and shape them: For each portion, start with the right side of the dough and pull it toward the center; then do the same with the left, then the top, then the bottom. (The order doesn’t actually matter; what you want is four folds.) Shape each portion into a round and turn seam side down. Mold the dough into a neat circular mound. The mounds should not be sticky; if they are, dust with more flour. If you don’t intend to use the dough right away, wrap the balls individually in plastic and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Return to room temperature by leaving them out on the counter, covered in a damp cloth, for 2 to 3 hours before needed.

Preheat pizza stone in oven for 1/2 hour at 500 degrees.

Stretch and shape out one portion into a pizza shape, drizzle lightly with olive oil and then spread half the robiola over the top. Transfer pizza onto pizza stone and cook for 5 minutes until cheese is melted and crust is firm.

Remove from the oven and scatter the shaved asparagus and the Romano shavings over the top. Season with salt and pepper. Scatter the lemon zest over the top, then the parsley leaves and drizzle with olive oil. This was a mash-up of these toppings and this dough recipe.