Pizza Dough

1 (1/4 ounce) packet active dry yeast

1 cup warm water (100-110 degrees)

1 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil  plus 1 teaspoon, divided

3 cups flour

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

In a small bowl, stir to dissolve the yeast in the warm water with the honey.   Let sit for for 10 minutes until the yeast becomes active.  Stir in 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Combine the flour and salt in a food processor.  Add the yeast mixture and pulse to combine.  Process until the dough forms a ball and becomes smooth and elastic, 1 to 2 minutes.

Use the remaining teaspoon of oil to lightly coat the inside of a large bowl.  Place the dough in the oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.  Punch down dough and divide into 4 balls.

Pizza Topping

Cornmeal for dusting

8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, shredded

16 baby zucchini, sliced on the diagonal into 1/8- inch thick pieces

2 pints grape or small cherry tomatoes, cut in half

16 red or green spring onions, ends trimmed, use 3-4 inches of white and pale green only, cut into thin slices

½ cup thinly sliced basil (chiffonade)

¼ cup minced fresh oregano leaves

thin slices of red onion

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Extra virgin olive oil

Place a pizza stone (if using) on the middle rack of the oven and heat the oven to 500 degrees for 15 minutes.  Roll out 1 ball of dough on a lightly floured surface to a 10 inch circle.

Sprinkle a pizza peel or pizza pan (if not using stone) with cornmeal and place pizza dough on top.  Sprinkle one quarter of feta and mozzarella cheese evenly over top of pizza.  Then add one quarter of zucchini, tomatoes, onions, basil and oregano.  Add a few rings of red onion and sprinkle lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Drizzle 1-2 teaspoons olive oil over the top. 

Transfer pizza to baking stone and bake for 13-15 minutes or until the crust is a golden brown.  Continue assembling and baking remaining pizzas. 

1 pound (21-25 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tablespoons finely minced garlic, divided

Extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 to 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock

12 medium- thick asparagus spears, ends trimmed, thinly sliced on diagonal

¼ cup minced shallot

1/2 pound penne pasta or other small tubular pasta

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half

¼ cup chopped pitted black olives

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

¼ cup thinly sliced basil leaves (chiffonade)

Optional: ¼ cup freshly shaved Parmesan

Toss shrimp with 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic and 1 tablespoon olive oil, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper; set aside while preparing the vegetables.   

Heat a large deep skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When hot, add the shrimp in batches, cooking just until shrimp turns from translucent to opaque in center.  Remove and keep warm.

Place the chicken stock in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer, cover and keep warm.

Add 1 tablespoon oil if pan is dry; add the asparagus, shallot and remaining 1 tablespoon minced garlic.  Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, and sauté until asparagus is tender, 3-4 minutes.  Spoon out and keep warm with shrimp.  Add pasta to pan, stirring occasionally, until it is glossy and coated with oil, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the wine and stir until liquid is almost gone. 

Ladle stock into skillet 1/2 cup at a time, stirring after each addition and every minute or so. When liquid is just about evaporated, add another ½ cup stock.   Mixture should be neither soupy nor dry. Keep heat at medium and stir frequently, continuing to add stock when almost gone.

Begin tasting pasta 8-10 minutes after you add it; pasta will be tender but will still have a chewy bite. When pasta is about 3 minutes away from being done, add the shrimp-asparagus, tomatoes,  olives, red pepper flakes and basil; stir to combine and heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning, garnish with Parmesan and serve.