Hurray For Hollywood

Maybe it’s the strike or the lousy weather, but I'm not really that excited about the Oscars this year. I will, however, still be making my most favorite Oscar snack in the whole world. Wolfgang Puck served it years ago, at one of his earliest Oscar dinners. (This is his 14th year of preparing food for the Governor’s Ball. Here are some of this year’s recipes.)

The one I love is a signature early dish from Spago, It's quite simple, although quite elegant too. I'm talking about his Grilled Pizza with Smoked Salmon, Crème Fraiche and Red Onions.

Wolfgang didn’t invent grilled pizza, but he took it to a new level. It is a brilliant idea. Especially if you're a lover of thin crust pizza, grilling it really gives a super crisp result.

This is basically the recipe I use, except that the dough is grilled, instead of cooked at a high heat in the oven. Do either, but the grilling is fun. Also, I don’t roll it out in circles. I prefer long ovals. I find it easier to hold one side and munch your way to the end.

So basically I grill the pizza dough and then the toppings go on after it comes off the grill. I add the red onion INTO the dough before grilling. Then I top the pizzas with sour cream or crème fraiche. Sometimes, I go with smoked salmon and sometimes I use a zesty tapenade.

To grill pizza dough, follow your pizza dough recipe and shape individual pizzas. Brush both sides lightly with olive oil, leaving plain a one inch border around the edges. Put on a hot grill. Leave until pizza puffs up…a minute or two. Turn over and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, moving to cooler part of the grill if it’s getting too browned.

If you want to add traditional toppings like cheese and tomato sauce, add them after both sides are cooked. Put topped pizza on cooler part of the grill. Close lid and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese is melted.