Fish & Seafood/ Healthy Meals/ Recipes/ Vegetarian

Asparagus & Shrimp Pizza

I’m finally back with a new recipe! Many obligations and the update of the blog kept me occupied last month, so I had to limit my posts and “disappear” some of the Internet. Now I’m getting back in program again so we will communicate more often. Since my beloved asparagus can still be found in the market, I thought of making an unusual pizza with asparagus, shrimp and spinach.

This is an easy, quick and light pizza which, although it has no sauce, it is not dry at all. The ingredients blend very nicely together. Those of you who are watching their diet should only care for the cheeses you add. I used mozzarella and zemytha (a low fat cheese made by admixture of sheep and goat milk). You can add any cheese you like. The dough is the one I had shown you in the Pissaladiere recipe (Pizza with caramelized onions and anchovies). Made in minimal time and does not need time to rise. It is literally the last minute dough. You need only self-rising flour and Greek strained yoghurt. If you want add and some dry herb that will match the materials of pizza. I used dried basil.

As we said in the post on the smoked salmon salad with asparagus and avocado sauce, asparagus have excellent properties. They are rich in vitamins B (including folic acid, thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3)), antioxidants (such as vitamin C, vitamin E, carotene (provitamin of vitamin A) which neutralize effectively free radicals, and also have strong anti-cancer activity), and metals (such as phosphorus, calcium, magnesium). They have lots of potassium, are rich in fiber and protein, while having a low calorific value.

Shrimps are a great alternative instead of meat. A moderate amount of 100 g. can cover 47% of our daily protein needs and give us one gram of fat, and especially polyunsaturated, i.e. the valuable omega-3 and omega-6 fats. Unlike other seafood shrimp contain high concentrations of both unique antioxidants astaxanthin and selenium. They are rich in B vitamins, essential for the proper functioning of the metabolism, nervous system and skin health and eyes. They also offer significant amounts of iodine and iron. Remarkable is their content of calcium, vitamin D and zinc, which among others strengthens the immune system. A portion of 120 grams of boiled shrimp (12-13 pieces) yields 220 mg cholesterol.

Spinach is rich in vitamins A and C, manganese, folic acid, magnesium, vitamin C and B, as well as flavonoids and polyphenols. You can read more about spinach in “Quinoa with spinach and katiki Domokos“.

Preparation time: 35 minutes

Servings: 8 pieces

Ingredients:

for the dough:

1 ½ cup (7 oz. approx.) self-rising flour (you might need some more)
1 cup (4.5 oz.) Greek strained yoghurt, 2% fat
1 teaspoon dried basil

for the pizza:

1 cup (3 oz.) grated mozzarella
½ cup (2.1 oz.) grated zemitha or similar grated cheese
10 oz. raw shrimps, peeled and washed
16 (9 oz. approximately) asparagus (their tender part)
4-5 (2 oz.) spring onions (the white part), cut diagonally into thin slices
4 oz. fresh tender spinach, coarsely chopped
olive oil
salt, pepper
fresh basil leaves (optional)

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients for the dough in a bowl. Do not add all the flour at once. You may not need it all, or it may need some more. Knead until soft, non-sticky dough is formed. Roll dough on lightly floured surface to the size and shape you want. Transfer dough into a lightly greased pizza pan. My pan has a diameter of 32 cm. And the dough is just enough.
Preheat oven to 375^o Scatter the grated mozzarella over the dough, and on top of it the zemitha. Then put the shrimp on the cheese (and half of the fresh basil, if using) and brush the edges of the dough lightly with some olive oil. Season to taste and sprinkle the pizza with some more olive oil. Bake for approximately 18 minutes until you get a golden color on the dough.
Meanwhile, cook the asparagus in lightly salted water for 2-3 minutes. Strain and mix with the onions, spinach and remaining basil, adding salt and freshly ground pepper and sprinkle with some olive oil. Spread the vegetables over the pizza as soon as it is out of the oven and serve.

Nutritional Facts per Serving
Calories	Carbohydrates	Sugars	Total Fat	Saturated Fat	Proteins	Dietary Fibers	Cholesterol
222.6	19.5	0.1	7.8	1.4	18.2	0.9	57.0mg