This is a real California style pizza. These are 4 small pizzas, you may want to make them larger. It is a very good pizza that should give you some ideas about other variations you can do. This will be with pizzas having no red sauce on it. Give pesto or cream sauces a try.
1 Tbl Yeast (1 package fresh or active dry)
1/4 C Warm water
1 Tbl Honey
1 Tsp Salt
2 Tbl Olive oil plus oil for the bowl
3/4 C Cool water
3 C Flour (approximately)
TOPPING
3 to 4 ounces smoked salmon, sliced paper-thin
1/4 C Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 Medium red onion, sliced thin
1/4 C Minced fresh dill
1/3 C Crème fraîche or sour cream
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 heaping Tbl Domestic golden caviar (optional)
1 heaping Tbl Black caviar (optional)
4 sprigs Fresh dill for garnish
Recipe
Serves: 4 or Me
Time required: Prepare: 1 hour 45 minutes Cook: 12 minutes
Oven temperature: 500 degrees
Difficulty: Average
Directions
1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water; stir in 1/2 Tsp of the honey and set aside for 10 minutes.
2. Mix the remaining 2 1/2 Tsp honey with the salt, olive oil, and cool water and set aside.
3. Put the flour in the bowl of a food processor. With the processor running, slowly pour the honey-oil mixture in through the feed tube. Then pour in the dissolved yeast. Process until the dough forms a ball on the blade. If it is too sticky, sprinkle on a little more flour.
4. Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Transfer to an oiled bowl and let rest, covered, for 30 minutes.
5. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Roll each into a smooth, tight ball. Put on a flat sheet or dish, cover with a damp towel and refrigerate for 1 to 3 hours. Or you can let it rise and go straight to shaping it to make pizza after it has doubled. The longer you let it rise, the more flavor you will get in the dough.
6. One hour before baking, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature before rolling and shaping.
7. Preheat the oven, preferably with a pizza stone inside, to 500 degrees for 30 minutes while getting the pizza ready.
8. Cut the salmon into 2-inch squares and reserve.
9. Roll or stretch each ball of dough into four 9-inch circles. Put the circles on an oiled, floured baking sheet.
10. Brush each pizza with olive oil to within one inch of the edge and sprinkle with red onion.
11. Put the pizzas in the oven and bake 8 to 12 minutes, until the crusts are golden brown.
12. While the pizzas are baking, mix the dill with the crème fraîche or sour cream and season with pepper.
13. When the pizzas are done, transfer to warm dinner plates and spread with the crème fraiche or sour cream mixture. Arrange the pieces of salmon on top and, if desired, put a tablespoon of golden caviar in the center of each and spoon a little black caviar on the golden caviar. Garnish each pizza with a sprig of dill and serve.