Pizza Amore
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
This easy and delicious pizza contains four of the top 5 aphrodisiac plant-based foods. Perfect for a laid back romantic evening. Store bought dough makes this recipe even easier. If you can, invest in a pizza stone. Heat it for 40 minutes in the oven before using. It can transform your pizza and you will never want store bought again.
Author:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Dough
  • ¼ ounce package of active dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon of maple syrup
  • 1¼ cups lukewarm water
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1⅔ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (you can use all whole wheat flour)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 tablespoons of cornmeal
Pesto
  • 2 cups of fresh basil
  • ½ cup walnuts or pine nuts
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable broth (or more for desired consistency) I like it a little on the thin side for covering the pizza.
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
Pizza
  • 1 store-bought or homemade pizza dough
  • 10 asparagus stalks, cleaned
  • jar of artichoke hearts, drained and cut into fours
  • 1 tablespon extra-virgin olive oil and a drizzle for the top
  • pinch of salt
  • pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 1 avocado, sliced into ½ inch slices
Instructions
Dough
  1. Dissolve the yeast, sugar and ¼ cup of luke-warm water. Let mixture stand until yeast begins to foam - 5-10 minutes.
  2. Put 1 cup of flour in the mixing bowl fitted with a dough hook. Add the yeast mixture and begin mixing. Add more flour, salt, warm water and olive oil and continue mixing. Adding more flour as you go. Mix until the dough forms a ball, pulls away from the sides of the bow and is smooth and elastic. Transfer to an oiled mixing bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm area for 20 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in volume.
  3. Spray a 19-inch pizza pan with olive oil and sprinkle with the cornmeal. I prefer an oven pizza stone that has been heated up for 40 minutes in a 500 degree oven. I use the corn meal on the pizza board for easy sliding.
  4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 5 minutes. Transfer to the prepared pizza pan. Add your toppings and bake.
Pesto
  1. Place all the ingredients in a food processor with with an S blade. Pulse to desired consistency.
Pizza
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 500 degrees
  2. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the aspagus lenghth-wise into thin ribbons. Place in a small bowl and toss the asparagus ribbons and artichoke hearts with the olive oil.
  3. Spread the basil pesto mixture thinly all over the pizza, leaving a ½-border around the the edges. Evenly distribute the the asparagus ribbons and artichoke hearts. Top with a drizzle of olive oil, a small amount of red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt.
  4. Bake the pizza for 10-12 minutes, until the crust is fully baked and golden brown.
  5. Remove the pizza from the oven to a cutting board. Top with avocado slices, and a drizzle of olive oil. Slice with a sharp pizza cutter and serve.
Recipe by Ordinary Vegan at https://ordinaryvegan.net/aphrodisiacdinner/