Brunch Pizza with Scrambled Eggs & Smoked Salmon
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Brunch pizza topped with soft scrambled eggs, melted mozzarella and fontina, and cold smoked salmon with chives. An elegant weekend project that marries pizza technique with lox-and-bagel flavors.
YIELD
2 servingsPREP
40 minCOOK
40 minREADY
4½ hrsThis brunch pizza layers three textures that shouldn’t work together until you try them. A par-baked dough base brushed with chili-garlic oil gives the bottom a crackle and a whisper of heat. Soft scrambled eggs, pulled while still wet, spread over the base and finish cooking in the blast of a 500°F (260°C) oven alongside melted mozzarella and fontina.
The smoked salmon goes on after the pizza comes out, so it stays silky and cold against the hot crust. That hot-cold contrast is the whole reason this works. Scatter chopped chives and salmon roe on top for the finishing pop.
Par-bake the dough first for 6 to 8 minutes. That step keeps the crust from going soggy under the wet eggs, which is the single most common failure mode for this kind of pizza.
Pro Tips
- Pull the scrambled eggs off the heat while still visibly wet. They finish cooking on top of the pizza, and overcooked eggs turn rubbery.
- Preheat the pizza stone at 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes so the bottom crust crisps properly.
- Dust your pizza peel with semolina, not just flour. Semolina acts like ball bearings and the raw pizza slides off cleanly.
- Slice the smoked salmon cold straight from the fridge for clean, thin pieces.
Variations
- Swap smoked salmon for prosciutto or crisp pancetta.
- Add thin-sliced red onion or capers under the salmon for a full bagel-and-lox effect.
- Use crumbled goat cheese or dollops of crème fraîche in place of fontina.
Ingredients
Directions
Place a pizza stone on the middle rack of the oven and preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll out the dough to an 8-inch round.
Place the dough on a pizza peel that has been dusted with flour or semolina (you can also place on a cookie sheet).
Lightly brush the surface of the dough with the chili oil.
Place on the pizza stone and bake until the bottom begins to turn golden brown, but the pizza is not cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Remove from the oven and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper.
Place a nonstick 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
When the pan is hot add the olive oil and butter and cook until the butter is melted.
Add the egg mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the eggs are scrambled but still fairly wet, about 4 minutes.
The eggs will cook further in the oven so it is important not to overcook them.
Remove from the heat and remove from the pan to stop the cooking.
Spread the eggs on the pizza dough, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges.
Scatter the mozzarella cheese and Fontina cheese evenly over the eggs.
Return to the oven and cook just until the cheese melts and is bubbly, about 5 minutes.
Remove the pizza from the oven and transfer to a firm surface.
Arrange the smoked salmon slices over the surface of the pizza, covering the whole thing.
Garnish with the chopped chives and salmon eggs.
For the pizza dough:
In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and honey in ¼ cup warm water.
In a food processor, combine the flour and the salt.
Add the oil, the yeast mixture, and the remaining ¾ cup of water and process until the mixture forms a ball.
(The pizza dough can also be made in a mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low speed until the mixture comes cleanly away from the sides of the bowl and starts to climb up the dough hook).
Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and knead by hand 2 or 3 minutes longer.
The dough should be smooth and firm.
Cover the dough with a clean, damp towel and let it rise in a cool spot for about 2 hours.
(When ready, the dough will stretch as it is lightly pulled).
Divide the dough into 4 balls, about 6 ounces each.
Work each ball by pulling down the sides and tucking under the bottom of the ball.
Repeat 4 or 5 times.
Then on a smooth, unfloured surface, roll the ball under the palm of your hand until the top of the dough is smooth and firm, about 1 minute.
Cover the dough with a damp towel and let rest 1 hour.
At this point, the balls can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Yield: dough for 4 small pizzas
Chili and Garlic Oil:
In a small saucepan, combine the garlic cloves and olive oil and bring to a simmer.
Reduce the heat and simmer until the garlic begins to turn brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
(Do not let the garlic get too brown or the oil will have a bitter taste.)
Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.
Add the red pepper flakes and infuse for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to blend.
Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 2 weeks.
Yield: about 2 cups
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