Fancy French Pizza – It’s easier than it sounds!

Ok, in full disclosure there isn’t anything really French about this pizza or any other pizza, but it is a great, light summer dinner, and it goes very, very well with white wine.  I speak from experience here.  This recipe is easy and looks like something out of a gourmet kitchen.  It’s currently one of my “go to” evening meals.

What you need:

1 package of puff pastry

3 sliced tomatoes

asparagus

bacon

Boursin Herb and Garlic Light cheese

Pesto sauce

1 egg

parchment paper and a baking sheet

1. An hour before you are ready assemble, open the puff pastry and set it aside to thaw.
2. Preheat oven to 400°F
3. In a nonstick skillet, cook 10 pieces of bacon until done, but not crispy. Set aside on paper towels to drain excess grease.
4. Wash a large bundle of asparagus , and then chop off the bottom of the bunch and discard.  Cut the stalks in half and set all aside.
5. Wash and slice three average sized tomatoes.
6. At this point, the puff pastry should be defrosted.  Line the baking sheet with parchment paper, and then lay out the dough, making sure the ends overlap slightly, making a large rectangle.
7. Next, using the back of a knife, lightly draw a line a half an inch around the dough.  Essentially, you are creating a crust for your pizza. Be careful not to cut through the puff pastry.
8. Now use the fork and punch holes all over the bottom of the dough inside of the box you’ve drawn.  This will  keep the pasty from puffing everywhere except for the crust.
9. Spread a thin layer of pesto sauce on the dough inside of the lines.

10. Spread the Boursin cheese on top of the pesto.

11.   Layout a layer of sliced tomatoes.

12. Spread the asparagus over the cheese.

13. Go back to your bacon and roughly chop it into small pieces and then sprinkle over the pizza.

14. Lightly scramble and egg in a bowl and brush the yoke onto the dough, around the crust area. Optional: crumble parmesan cheese over the pizza just before putting into oven.

15. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the asparagus is roasted.  Allow it all to cool for a few minutes before slicing.

16. Open a bottle of whine (if you haven’t already).

17. Enjoy!

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