Smoked Salmon Pizza & Other Embellishments

This pizza pairs a simple homemade yeast dough with an upscale topping of smoked salmon, Asiago cheese, fresh dill, and capers. The trick is timing: the salmon and capers only hit the pizza for the last 3 minutes in the oven. Just enough heat to warm them through without cooking the smoked salmon into tough, dry flakes.

The dough is forgiving and flexible. Mix it in the morning, refrigerate it, and let it come to room temperature an hour before you need it. A short 40-minute rise is all it takes, and a quick 3-5 minute knead gives you a base that stretches easily without springing back.

Fresh chopped tomato, minced garlic, green onions, pepper, and dill go directly on the stretched dough as the sauce layer. No cooked tomato sauce here. The raw tomato breaks down in the high oven heat and creates a fresh, bright base under two cups of grated Asiago that bakes into a bubbly, sharp, golden layer.

Pro Tips

• Bake on the lower rack at high heat. The bottom needs direct heat to crisp up before the toppings overcook.
• Don’t overload the tomato layer. Excess moisture from the raw tomato can make the crust soggy. Chop and drain briefly if the tomato is very juicy.
• Use cold-smoked salmon (lox-style), not hot-smoked. Hot-smoked salmon is already cooked and will dry out even in 3 minutes.
• Let the pizza rest for 2-3 minutes after pulling from the oven. The cheese needs a moment to set or it slides off when you slice.

Variations

• Swap Asiago for a blend of mozzarella and fontina for a milder, meltier cheese layer.
• Add a drizzle of lemon juice or creme fraiche over the finished pizza for extra richness.
• Use store-bought pizza dough to save an hour of prep time.