Culturally, pizza is considered a savory italian dish that is made up of round, flat, leavened dough and topped with cheese and tomatoes. It is then baked in a wood-fired oven at a very high temperature. And, as we all know, it is highly delicious. But while this definition of pizza dates back to the 10th century, the more modern versions of pizza are probably from naples with variations becoming popular in many countries. So much so that pizza, in all its many forms, is now one of the most popular foods in the world, especially in the united states. There are so many options and variations these days that it can be hard to think about what the purist version would even be. We have our choice of whole wheat crusts, cauliflower crusts, gluten-free, vegetarian, meat lovers, anchovies, olives, pepperoni, and even, to some people's horror, pineapple. You can make your own dough or buy it frozen or fresh from lots of gourmet grocery stores and some supermarkets. Having a good, ready-made dough means that pizza can become a quick dinner option without having to order take-out. There's also no need to think of pizza as a heavy, colder weather dish if we leave out the meat and sauce, keep the bread and cheese, and add seasonal vegetables. Beautiful spring asparagus is a delicious topping on this particular pizza recipe. It's complemented by some good olive oil, a layer of creamy ricotta, some fresh mozzarella cheese, and a touch of parmesan. Just pour a glass of crisp white wine and enjoy.