More Than a Vegetable Pizza

Preheat oven to 500ºF.

Make white sauce:
Melt butter in a sauce pan and cook minced shallot until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add flour and stir until blended.

Stir in broth and cream. Once heated through, add 3/4 cup gruyere and 1/4 cup parmesan to the sauce. Stir until melted. You may add more cream if the sauce is too thick.

Add pinch of salt, pepper and nutmeg. Remove from heat.

Prepare the toppings:
Cook chicken, then cube. Cook bacon in a cast iron skillet, remove bacon and wipe out most of the grease. Let bacon cool, then crumble.

Drizzle 3 tablespoons olive oil into the hot cast iron skillet and sprinkle corn meal evenly over the pan. Carefully press the dough onto the hot skillet. Cook in the oven for 4 minutes.

Slice tomatoes and artichoke hearts. Trim bottoms off asparagus then cook in 1/2 inch of water for 3 minutes in the microwave.

Remove pan from the oven. Spread the cheese sauce over the dough. Top with chicken, bacon, remaining cheeses, tomatoes, artichokes and asparagus spears. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Cook for 7 minutes, then put under the broiler for 2 minutes. Remove and cool for 2-3 minutes.

Slide pizza out of the pan and cut into 8 slices.