Vegan Pizza Primavera with Zucchini, Asparagus, and Burst Cherry Tomatoes

Step 1

One hour before you're ready to bake, preheat your oven to 550 ºF, or as hot as it will go. Place a rack one third of the way down from the top of the oven, and place a baking steel or baking stone on that rack. You want the oven to saturate with heat for 1 hour before baking pizza for best results.

Step 2

At this time also remove the pizza dough from the fridge so it can come to room temperature and the gluten can relax.

Step 3

Make the burst cherry tomatoes: Heat a deep heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the tablespoon of olive oil, the cherry tomatoes, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cook for 7-8 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and charred in spots. Stir occasionally, and towards the end of the cooking time when they are soft enough, press them with a wooden spoon against the side of the pot until they burst open. Turn off the heat and set aside. The cherry tomatoes will splatter as they heat, so be mindful.

Step 4

Wash your zucchini and leave the top intact as this will act as a handle. Using a peeler, peel down the zucchini from just below the top stem all the way to the bottom to create a ribbon. Repeat until you've turned the entire zucchini into ribbons. Place in a mixing bowl.

Step 5

Next make your asparagus ribbons. Trim off the woody ends of the stalk and discard. Hold the tips of the asparagus and peel away from them to create ribbons out of each stalk and add to the zucchini ribbons. Reserve the asparagus tips and cut them in half, setting aside to top the pizza with.

Step 6

Toss the zucchini and asparagus ribbons with the lemon juice, 1 1/2 tsp olive oil, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper.

Step 7

When the oven is nice and hot, prepare your pizzas one at a time. Stretch (don't roll!) your dough to around 14-15" diameter and place on a lightly floured pizza peel. Spread the garlic white sauce over the dough then sprinkle on about 1/2 of the vegan mozzarella and some fresh rosemary. On top of that add about 1/2 the zucchini and asparagus ribbons as well as 1/2 of the burst cherry tomatoes.

Step 8

Transfer the pizza onto the baking steel or pizza stone and bake for 8-10 minutes. Broil for an additional 1-2 minutes at the end if needed.

Step 9

If baking on a baking sheet, assemble the pizza straight on the metal and place directly in the oven.

Step 10

Repeat the pizza assembly and baking with the remaining dough.

Step 11

Let the pizza cool for a couple minutes before cutting and serve with crushed red pepper and an extra squeeze of lemon juice (if desired). Enjoy while hot!