Simple and easy recipes for the holidays

Courtesy Wolfgang Puck, Courtesy Amanda Marsalis

Claim to fame: Puck is the owner of Spago restaurant in Beverly Hills and has catered the post-Academy Awards celebrity banquet for the past 14 years.

Ingredients:
•Pizza Dough (you can buy it at your supermarket, or ask your favorite pizzeria for dough)
•16 ounces smoked salmon, sliced paper-thin
•¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
•1 medium red onion, cut into julienne strips
•¼ bunch fresh dill, minced, plush 4 small sprigs for garnish
•1 cup sour cream or creme fraiche
•Freshly ground pepper
•4 heaping tablespoons domestic golden caviar
•4 heaping teaspoons black caviar

Directions:
1. Before you are ready to bake the pizzas, preheat the oven with a pizza stone inside for 30 minutes to 500 degrees F. Place a pizza stone on the middle rack of the oven.
2. 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 to form a smooth, even, firm ball. 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 15 to 20 minutes.
3. To prepare each pizza, dip the ball of dough into flour, shake off the excess flour, place the dough on a clean, lightly floured surface, and start to stretch the dough. Press down on the center, spreading the dough into an 8-inch circle, with its outer rim a little thicker than the inner circle. If you find this difficult to do, use a small rolling pin to roll out the dough.
4. After the dough has been rolled or stretched into four 8-inch circles, place the pizzas on a lightly floured wooden peel. Brush the center of each pizza to within 1 inch of the edge with olive oil and sprinkle it with some of red onion. Slide the pizza onto the stone and bake 8 to 12 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
5. Mix the dill with the sour cream or creme fraiche and freshly ground pepper to taste. Transfer the pizzas to heated dinner plates and spread them with the sour cream mixture.
6. Divide the salmon, and arrange decoratively over the cream.
7. Place a spoonful of golden caviar in the center of each pizza, then spoon a little of the black caviar into the center of the golden caviar. Cut each pizza into fourths and serve immediately.
8. Makes 4 pizzas