By now you probably know that smoked salmon is my favorite food. But what you don’t know is that banana is the only food I don’t eat, but that’s beside the point. I have shared my smoked salmon salad and smoked salmon tostada recipes before and I have to admit that I also serve plain smoked salmon with sliced onions and blueberries. Try it, the sweetness actually cuts the salmon saltiness and it’s quite pleasant and so good for you.
About 18 years ago I saw this beautiful picture of a smoked salmon pizza in a cooking magazine and I made it a couple of times. My brother in law still talks about it. Since my niece is here visiting, I showed her how to make it in order to impress her dad. She was probably 10 years old when I made the pizza at her house and now at 23, she remembers me making the pizza dough, covering it up and then letting her punch it after it had risen. But because now it’s easier to find fresh pizza dough at the store, we’ll save a little bit of time. And another good thing is that now we can also find fresh whole wheat dough or some other people may actually prefer using a plain baked pizza crust instead.
So here’s my smoked salmon pizza:
1 fresh pizza/bread dough (usually 1 lb ball)
1 Tbsp Olive oil
Fresh cracked pepper
1 cup shredded Fontina or whole milk mozzarella cheese
½ lb Smoked salmon pieces
3-4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 Green onion bunch, sliced white and green parts
2-3 Tbsp Capers
2-4 Tbsp Fresh dill or chives chopped
Spray a baking sheet or pizza pan with oil using an oil mister or non-stick cooking spray. Take the pizza dough out of the bag and stretch it by gently pulling it in many directions. Set it in the pan and using your fingers poke at it to fit the pan. Pour oil over the dough and continue working it to fit the pan. This is the perfect time to grind some black pepper and incorporate some fresh dill, chives or parsley into the dough for added flavor like a foccacia. Let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients or enjoy a nice crisp glass of Orvieto or Muscadet.
Place oven baking rack on the second lowest position and preheat oven to 400°F. Wash, trim and prepare other ingredients. I recommend buying the smoked salmon pieces rather than the nicely prepared slices. It will be cheaper and most stores carry them in small containers in the refrigerated counter where you usually find the pre-packed salmon. Some fish counters also sell fresh pieces for about half the price of the hand sliced ones.
Once the dough has rested, put it in the oven until the dough is golden (15-20 minutes). Make sure the bottom of the crust has cooked and is crisp. Take it out of the oven and sprinkle with cheese, and then add the smoked salmon, chopped tomatoes, green onions, capers and fresh herbs. Put back in the oven and cook for another 5-10 minutes or until the cheese starts melting but doesn’t change color. We don’t want the smoked salmon or tomatoes to cook; we just want them warm over the melted cheese.
This is great party food too as you can serve small squares and it’s as good hot or at room temperature.
Enjoy!
- Josée
Labels: Healthy Recipes, Josee
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