Salmon and Herb Pizza

I love to make pizza.  So much so that I’m shocked that I have gone months without a pizza post.  Well, this salmon and herb pizza is going to end that dry spell on Mutt & Chops.    It is also going to make your mouth so, so happy!  I promise!  Because this is a truly amazing pizza.  Not kidding.

I first made a salmon pizza because I had leftover grilled salmon steaks that I wanted to re-purpose.  I went online looking for a good salmon pizza recipe and every one I saw called for smoked salmon.  So, I kinda made up my own thing and my family really, really liked it.  Afterward, I thought to myself, if it is good with leftover salmon, imagine how good it would be with fresh, raw salmon!  The reality was better than the imagined.  It is the bomb!

Fresh salmon, sliced thinly and seasoned, on a white olive oil and garlic base, with fresh herbs, feta, and Kalamata olives.

Drop the pizza cutter.  Exit stage right!  It is that good!

So, are you ready to make it?

let’s see what goes into this salmon and herb pizza

Oh!  And the pizza crust.  I make my own.  If you want the recipe, check out this previous post.  It was my first post, so please be tolerant and kind with your appraisal.   The pizza dough recipe, however, stands up just fine. 🙂

You can also use a store-bought crust.  I’ve recently run into this one, which turned out pretty well.

First, pre-heat a pizza stone in a 450°F oven.  Place the rack on the bottom third of the oven.

My last pizza post I told you about my favorite pizza pan.  If you prefer the pan, you can use it instead.  For some reason, this salmon and herb pizza called to my pizza stone, so I went that route.

Start by cutting and seasoning the salmon.  Be sure to use a very sharp knife, and cut the steaks against the grain into 1/4 inch ribbons.  Then season with olive oil, salt and a generous amount of freshly cracked pepper.  Mix gently but thoroughly, and set aside.

Then prep the rest of your ingredients.  You know, chop the herbs and garlic, slice the onions and olives, etc.

Roll out your dough into a 15 inch in diameter round and transfer to a pizza paddle covered in parchment paper.

If you don’t have a pizza paddle, you can always us an upside down large baking sheet.  The goal is to have a stable base from which to slide the parchment paper with the prepared pizza directly onto the pre-heated pizza stone.  If you are not using a pizza stone, you can just assemble the salmon and herb pizza directly in the cooking pan.

This is a white pizza, so the base is a generous brushed layer of olive oil covered with the fresh, diced garlic.  I really must recommend fresh garlic.  And don’t let the quantity scare you.  The base creates the first and very important layer of flavor, so the olive oil and garlic play an important role.

Then add the onions, Kalamatas, 2/3 of the parsley and dill, and the feta cheese.

Cover those toppings with the seasoned salmon in a single layer.  Then top with the remaining 1/3 of the fresh herbs.

Finish by spreading the mozzarella over everything.

Finally, carefully slide the parchment paper off the paddle and onto the hot pizza stone in the oven.

Bake until the crust is golden brown and the cheese begins to gently bubble and caramelize, and your house smells like heaven.  That will be approximately 15 to 20 minutes, depending on your oven.

Remove the pizza from the oven and slide it, parchment paper and all, onto a cutting surface.  Be sure to let it sit for a couple of minutes so that the toppings can set a bit.  Otherwise, they might try to slide off the crust when you cut your slices.

If you like, drizzle some olive oil on your slice and garnish with fresh parsley.  Trust me, if will be amazing without it too.

Be sure to eat it while it is nice and warm because, you know…

Crunchy crust, with the tender, seasoned salmon.  Bright herbs, with the briny Kalamatas, and the creamy saltiness of the feta.  Everything shining against the foundation of olive oil and garlic.

People, I assure you, this is a pizza you MUST try.   Hey, no pepperoni, sausage, or other high fat ingredients and packing a flavor shot right to the old taste buds.  So, so good!