Asparagus season is nearly here in England and I couldn’t be more excited. I spotted the first small bunches at the market and bought two immediately. They were so tender and sweet that I used them on this Friday’s pizza, paired with cherry tomatoes and finished with a creamy garlic cashew sauce.
For the base, choose a dough recipe you enjoy or use my basic pizza crust recipe which you can find where you normally save your favorite recipes.
Pizza toppings
- 1 small bunch of green baby asparagus
- 8–10 cherry tomatoes, halved
- A few chestnut mushrooms, sliced
While the dough is rising, prepare the toppings. Halve the cherry tomatoes and slice the mushrooms. For the asparagus, either blanch it in salted water for about 1 minute or steam it for 5–10 minutes. Steaming prevents the asparagus from drying out in the oven and keeps it tender.
If you don’t have a steamer, you can improvise one using cookie cutters and a plate: place several sturdy cutters inside a wide pot, set a plate on top so it is elevated above the water, pour water into the pot just below the plate edge, add the asparagus to the plate and cover with a lid. This creates a simple, effective steamer.
Once the dough has risen, roll it out and spread an even layer of pizza sauce. You can use your favorite store-bought sauce or a quick homemade basic pizza sauce. Arrange the steamed asparagus, halved tomatoes and sliced mushrooms over the sauce and bake the pizza at the highest temperature your oven allows for 10–15 minutes, until the crust is crisp and the vegetables are heated through.
While the pizza bakes, make a creamy cashew garlic sauce to drizzle on top. The sauce is slightly sweet and savory; add more salt if you prefer a less sweet profile. It also works beautifully on flatbreads and with spicy dishes.
Cashew garlic sauce — ingredients
- 75 g (½ cup) raw cashews
- 4 tablespoons water
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chopped parsley
- ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend on high until smooth and creamy. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more water to reach the desired consistency. Store any leftover sauce in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for 2–3 days.
When the pizza comes out of the oven, drizzle the cashew garlic sauce over it and serve immediately. This combination of tender asparagus, sweet cherry tomatoes, earthy mushrooms and a rich cashew-garlic finish makes a refreshing, seasonal pizza worth savoring.
