Lemon Asparagus Ricotta Pizza

Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water. Bring the water to a boil.

Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit while water is coming up to the boil.

Cut asparagus stems into 1 inch pieces. Place them into a small bowl. Save asparagus tips in a separate small bowl.

Add asparagus stems to boiling water and cook for approximately 8 minutes or until tender.

Saving ¼ cup of the cooking water, drain the stems and place them in an ice water bath to stop the cooking process.

Place asparagus tips onto a sheet pan.

Drizzle the tips with some olive oil and sprinkle lightly with the ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Mix the tips gently with your hands so they are coated.

Place tips in the oven to roast for 10- 12 minutes or until the tips are slightly browned. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool on the sheet pan.

In a food processor, combine asparagus stems, 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon zest, 3/4 teaspoon of kosher salt and ¼ cup of cooking water. Process until smooth. Taste the sauce and if more salt is needed add some or all of the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt.

Transfer the asparagus sauce to a bowl. Add red pepper flakes if using and stir well.

Preheat oven to 500° Fahrenheit.

Lightly coat a 14 inch pizza pan with olive oil.

Press pizza dough gently into pan. If dough shrinks from edges of pain, allow it to rest for a few minutes before resuming pressing dough into the edges of the pan. If it does not reach the edges of the pan that is fine.

Spread asparagus sauce all over the dough. Save any extra sauce for another use.

Dollop small spoonfuls of ricotta cheese all over the crust followed by the ripped mozzarella cheese.

Scatter chicken cubes on top of the cheeses followed by the parmesan cheese.

Drizzle olive oil all over the pizza.

Bake pizza for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melty and crust is nice and brown. Remove the pizza from the oven and scatter basil all over the top.

Cut into wedges and serve immediately.