Asparagus Pizza

Ingredients

 * 1 (10- to 12-ounce) ball pizza dough (homemade or store-bought)
 * 1 tablespoon olive oil
 * 1/8 teaspoon salt
 * 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
 * 1/4 cup ricotta cheese
 * 1 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded part-skim or whole milk)
 * 8 asparagus spears (peeled and sliced)
 * 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
 * 1 cup baby arugula
 * Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Steps to Make It

 * 1) Preheat the oven to 500 F.
 * 2) On a floured surface, roll out the pizza dough to about a 12-inch round. (You can also stretch it using your hands. Note that it does not need to be a perfect circle.)
 * 3) Move the dough to the baking sheet and brush with the olive oil.
 * 4) Spread on the ricotta cheese and sprinkle with the salt and pepper.
 * 5) Trim the woody ends off the asparagus before slicing.
 * 6) Spread the asparagus pieces over the ricotta cheese
 * 7) Finish by evenly spreading out the shredded mozzarella.
 * 8) Reduce the oven temperature to 450 F and bake for approximately 12 minutes. (The dough should be cooked through and the cheese fully melted.)
 * 9) Top with the baby arugula and a sprinkle of the crushed red pepper flakes, and serve hot.