Cost: $20 and over
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 40-45 min.
Cook Time: 25-30 min.
Difficulty: 2
This Pizza is the end piece of a few fortunate mishaps. I mean Zo and I even had to flip a coin over calling it the Slamen or the Totem. First of all I found this idea scribbled on a post it note at the bottom of my bag, it had been there long enough that it was actually discolored from rubbing on the material the bag is made of. Secondly it is not remotly close to fig season, originally I wanted golden figs as a topping but since it is no where near fig season Zo convinced me that fig spread would work just fine. Thirdly there were no chives at all four of the grocery stores I went in search of them at, so I decided I would just have to use green onion. Finally I mixed up what cheeses were to go one what pizza. I was planning on using only smoked cheddar and regular fresh mozzarella. But not thinking I grouped all the smoked cheeses together. Everything about this pizza was really having the right ingredients accidentally at the right time. I can not even explain how good this pizza is. It was great fresh, it is great cold and it is even great when reheated in a microwave. The smokey sweet flavors complemented by the tasty sourdough is really just plan amazing. But do not trust me, fire up your ovens, heat those pizza stones and impress your family and friends by making up a couple of these tasty babies! Enjoy!
(For instructions on how to make your own sourdough pizza skin check posting dated 7/7/09.)
Ingredients:
Toppings
8 oz Smoked fresh mozzarella (shredded)
1/3 cup maple smoked raw cheddar (shredded)
4 oz Nova Smoked Salmon (sliced into slices)
1/3 cup green onion (chopped)
Sauce
1 tbsp 2 tsp fig spread
1/2 of a Serrano (diced)
2 tsp sundried tomatoes (minced)
1/4 tsp fresh rosemary (minced)
1/4 tsp fresh thyme (minced)
1 shallot (diced)
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Crust
1 portion of sourdough pizza dough check posting for 7/7/09 or pre-made crust
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Tossing dough
What works best for me is I strongly throw the ball of dough down on a solid flat surface covered with a piece of wax paper until it is large and flat enough for me to easily balance on top of both of my fists. Then I make an X with my arms keeping my fists close together (backhand to back hand, the dough atop of them both) and I fling the dough upwards with my fingers as I simultaneously bring my arms quickly parallel (palm to palm) about 3-4 inches apart. As the dough falls I remake my fists and catch the dough atop them again in the X position and repeat until the dough has formed a 12-14 inch crust.
(Alternately you can lay dough on a solid flat surface covered with wax paper and squish flat with hands. Roll into a ball and slam the dough down onto your solid flat surface covered with a piece of wax paper. Using your fist mush the dough down repeatedly as if you were punching it softly but firmly (this helps get any air bubbles out of it.) Now using your finger tips press and stretch dough until you have formed a 12-14 inch circular pizza skin (you can also make an easier rectangle skin.)
Sauce
Mix all ingredients together in a small mixing bowl until mixed well.
Pizza
Sprinkle corn meal onto a baking sheet and lay skin on to it. Pour sauce into the center of crust and spread sauce evenly up to about an inch and a half away from the edge of the crust (I find using a pastry spatula works great for spreading tomato sauce.) Evenly sprinkle mozzarella over the sauce.
Place pizza on baking sheet lightly coated with corn meal. Arrange your oven racks to where they are on the upper and lower thirds of the oven. If you are using a baking stone as we do place it directly onto the floor of a preheated oven for 45 minutes (but you will be less likely to ruin your pizza stone if you place it on a rack at its lowest position.) Place baking sheet with pizza on the lower oven rack and bake for 7-10 minutes, move pizza on baking sheet to upper rack and bake 7-10 minutes (if cooking a second pizza you can put it on the lower rack now on a separate baking sheet.)
Place pizza on baking sheet lightly coated with corn meal. Arrange your oven racks to where they are on the upper and lower thirds of the oven. If you are using a baking stone as we do place it directly onto the floor of a preheated oven for 45 minutes (but you will be less likely to ruin your pizza stone if you place it on a rack at its lowest position.) Place baking sheet with pizza on the lower oven rack and bake for 7-10 minutes, move pizza on baking sheet to upper rack and bake 7-10 minutes (if cooking a second pizza you can put it on the lower rack now on a separate baking sheet.)
Remove pizza from oven and spread around your salmon slices, sprinkle with green onions and then sprinkle with smoked cheddar. Slide Pizza off of baking sheet directly onto baking stone and cook for 3-8 minutes or until crisp and bottom is browning (if you were cooking a second pizza you would move it to the top rack on its baking sheet once you slide the first pizza onto the baking stone and of course you would move it to the baking stone once you have remove the first pizza and cooked the second one 7-10 minutes on the upper rack.) Slide pizza onto a cutting board or baking sheet and use a pizza slicer to cut into 8-10 slices and serve hot with your favorite pizza sides, seasonings and sauces!
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