Smoked Salmon Pizza

Oh, Cooking Light. How I love you! A few months back (May 2010, I think), Cooking Light had a "pizza" issue. It was the same issue where I found the Prosciutto and Apricot pizza, and this little gem. Some might say the recipes featured were odd pizza choices; but, so far, both recipes that I have tried have been fan-freakin'-tastic. (I have a third pizza recipe marked, so you will have to stay tuned for that one...coming soon!) My skeptical husband and son both loved this pizza, too. My son actually picked all the smoked salmon off his pizza and ate that first...not usual behavior for a 4 year old, but the apple does not fall far from the tree! I am pretty proud of the fact that my kiddo will eat things that most children would not touch with a 10 foot pole. Anyway, a green salad and this pizza made quite a delightful meal. A glass of white wine would have made it perfect! (I should have opened a bottle, but didn't think of it until after we were finished eating.) Needless to say, this is a keeper!

Smoked Salmon Pizza
Adapted From: Cooking Light, May 2010 issue; Julianna Grimes

Ingredients:
1 batch of Quick Homemade Whole Wheat Pizza Crust (recipe follows)
1 package (8 oz.) of low-fat cream cheese
2 Tablespoons of capers, drained
1 Tablespoon of fresh dill, chopped
1 (4 oz.) package of smoked salmon (buy the good stuff...I used wild sockeye salmon)
sliced red onion to taste (I probably used 1/3 of a large red onion)
canola oil for the grill

Directions:
Heat grill to high heat (about 550 degrees). Roll crust out into a 1/8 inch thickness round or oval shape (it does not have to be perfectly round). Set aside.

Prepare grill by placing some canola oil in a bowl, and using an old rag and a pair of long, heat-resistant tongs, dip rag in canola oil and wipe the grates of the grill. This will prevent the crust from sticking. Be careful not to burn yourself...stand as far back as possible when doing this, because oil can flare up.

Grill both sides of pizza to desired doneness. Remove cooked pizza to large baking sheet. Smear cream cheese over cooked crust evenly. Return crust (now on baking sheet) to the grill for 2 minutes, or until cream cheese is warm and slightly melted. Turn off grill and remove crust. Top cooked pizza crust and cream cheese with red onion, capers, fresh dill, and smoked salmon slices. Cut and serve.

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Quick Homemade Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

Ingredients:
1 package of active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:
In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy (about 10 minutes). Stir in flour, salt, & olive oil. Beat until smooth. Let rest 5-10 minutes. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a round.

Cook on grill, as indicated in the above directions --OR-- according to your recipe instructions.



The Result:
Soooooo yummy! I adapted the original method to accommodate grilling and my dough recipe. I love the char-grilled flavor that gets imparted on pizza crust. It went perfectly with the smoked salmon. Best of all, this was pretty simple to prepare. This pizza was crisp and delicious!