Tender asparagus, thinly sliced baby potatoes, minced garlic, and Parmesan cheese on top of naan flatbread creates a quick, light meal or tasty appetizers. Naan bread is endlessly versatile and can be the base for so many different types of flatbread pizzas. This asparagus potato naan recipe features delicious, tender vegetables, and can be on your table in about 20 minutes.
Potatoes and asparagus are not only in season right now, but they are also a great combination. If you have never tried potatoes on flatbread, you should give it a try. The creaminess of cooked potatoes with melted cheese, all on top of a warm flatbread–it is delicious, especially when the tender-fresh crunch of asparagus is added. While at first the thought of pairing of potatoes and flatbread may sound like a carb overload, it really isn’t in this case, since the naan flatbread is thin and the layer of potatoes is also thin.
This is a great summer meal when you are in a hurry and need to make something nourishing, or if you have guests over and want to serve them some fun, seasonal appetizers, out on the porch or deck, with a cold beverage and great conversation. Can you tell I am wanting to invite some people over for dinner soon? I am. It has been a hectic spring, and we haven’t had much time to relax over our food and drinks. Now the kids are out of school (as of today!) and their sports schedules are in somewhat of a lull for a month or so. Our evenings and weekends are opening up. It’s time to slow down and linger outside, letting conversations develop and quiet moments blossom.
It’s time to enjoy nature, including asparagus and potatoes, and soon the cherries and wild black raspberries growing right in our yard. I just made the first strawberry shortcake of the season last night, and the strawberries were so fresh! Savoring the fruits and vegetables that are in season helps me feel like I am in the moment and experiencing life as it is unfolding. Every last day of school since my kids have started school, I have felt emotional and bittersweet. One era is ending as another is beginning. Sometimes it can be hard to let things go, and sometimes we can’t wait to move on. As I cannot believe how fast they are growing and sometimes want to slow time down, my kids are excited to move on to the next phase. Time passes regardless of how quickly or slowly we want it to go. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! This week’s Fiesta Friday is co-hosted by Lindy @ Love in the Kitchen and Liz @ spades, spatulas & spoons. 
Asparagus Potato Naan
Ingredients:
- 4-6 small potatoes (red or gold), thinly sliced
- 1/2 pound of fresh asparagus, chopped
- 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
- 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 naan flatbreads (about 250 g or 8.8 oz in a package of 2)
- about 1 cup of Parmesan cheese (other cheese can be used, if desired)
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and place the naan pieces on top of the parchment paper.
Wash the potatoes and asparagus. Slice the potatoes very thinly. Snap the tough ends off of the asparagus stalks and then chop the stalks into small pieces. In a large skillet, heat one tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced potatoes and toss gently for a couple of minutes, until the potatoes are just golden. Remove from heat.
Pour the remaining olive oil into a shallow bowl. Mince the garlic mix it in with the olive oil. Brush the naan pieces with olive oil/garlic (with the bubbly side of the naan facing up). Spread the potatoes in over the flatbread pieces in an even layer, then top with the chopped asparagus. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the vegetables. Place the baking sheet into your oven and bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes, or until the asparagus is tender and the cheese is melted.
Allow to cool slightly and slice into pieces. Enjoy!
With my daughter being a vegetarian (actually, she eats fish, so I guess that is a pescetarian…), we eat a fair amount of portabella mushroom burgers. For a change, I have been buying mixed mushrooms and making these flatbread pizzas for her. They are so good! We love the sage and mushroom combination, and sage has its own health benefits and healing properties. It is known as the herb that imparts longevity and wisdom, and in the days when the use of herbs was more prominent, sage was used to soothe coughs and colds, ease night sweats, purify the spirit, and ward off evil. I’m not sure if baking some fresh sage leaves in this pizza can accomplish all those things, but it can’t hurt, and it tastes so savory and earthy, so delicious with the mushrooms and cheese! In addition, sage is really easy to grow, and it comes back year after year. We have had some in our garden for years, and I love to go out and pick the leaves as I am making dinner.
For Mother’s Day, I walked in the woods with my mother, husband, and kids, and with it being mushroom season, I got to thinking about how I would like to learn more about foraging for mushrooms. I know that morel mushrooms grow in my area, and I think it would be a worthwhile hobby to cultivate, and a great excuse to get out into the woods more! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and enjoy spring! Although it’s supposed to get cold again this weekend, so many trees are flowering here, and our lilacs are in full bloom. I believe that is my favorite scented flower, so I am savoring every minute of the lilac season. 
