Oh, Sweet Pea

I'm not sure how the weather has been for everyone else these last two weeks, but here it has been absolutely gorgeous. Rather than quickly jaunting from place to place, I found myself slowing down to enjoy the perfect early spring weather. As soon as Daniel or I got home, the windows were opened to take in in the crisp spring air. To celebrate being one step closer to the Farmer's Markets that will kick into gear later in the spring, I put together this bright Friday Night concoction.

The cornucopia of possibilities that instantly spring to mind as I take a precious ball of our pizza dough from the freezer is perhaps the single reason Daniel and I enjoy making pizza so much, and do it so often. You may notice it comes up often on here, but trust me, there's plenty of more pizza baking going on, usually about one a week.. There's just so much you can do with a few simple, straightforward ingredients and flavors. For this particular pie, for example, I went through a few different possibilities. Originally planning for an arugula centered concoction, I was disappointed to discover its absence, as the fresh produce is at that odd juncture between winter and spring. Instead, I replaced the peppery bite of arugula with the sweet refreshing bite of the green pea to make a bright green sauce for a vivid March welcome to spring. 

Green Spring Pizza
Prepared Pizza Dough (recipe available here)
Green Pea Pizza Sauce (below)
2-3 Slices Prosciutto
1/4 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan
1 Medium Sweet Onion, Halved, Sliced Thinly, soaked in Balsamic Vinegar for 1-2 hours
Cornmeal for covering pizza stone and pizza peel
Directions:
1. Place pizza stone in oven and preheat oven to 475 at least an hour before cooking.
2. Lightly cover pizza peel with cornmeal to prevent sticking. Stretch pizza dough to desired size. Spread pizza dough to coat pizza thinly. Top with onions, prosciutto, and grated parmesan.
3. Place cornmeal on pizza stone and carefully slide pizza onto stone. Bake 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven once crust begins to brown. Let cool slightly before cutting. *Garnish with additional parmesan cheese if desired.

Green Pea Pizza Sauce
3/4 Cup Green Peas
Small Handful Baby Spinach (Stems Removed)
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Juice and Zest from 1/2 One Medium Lemon
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients except salt and pepper in blender.
2. Puree, blending until smooth, adding extra olive oil if needed. Mixture should be smooth but will be thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste.