How to make Wolfgang Puck's smoked salmon pizza

Wolfgang Puck created his smoked salmon pizza at Spago in 1982 after Joan Collins requested smoked salmon with brioche. He baked the salmon on pizza dough and finished the pie with crème fraîche and dollops of caviar; the dish has remained on Spago's menu for more than 40 years and has been served at the official Oscars after-party every year since 1994.

The original pie had no tomato sauce or cheese and helped redefine pizza as a platform for fresh, California ingredients. It became a sensation with locals and celebrities — Johnny Carson would sometimes order ten at a time, a habit that helped inspire Puck's frozen-food business.

For home preparation you will need 6 ounces of pizza dough, 1 tablespoon chili-and-garlic oil, 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion, 2 tablespoons dill cream (dill-infused crème fraîche), 2.5 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon, 1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives, and 1 tablespoon sevruga caviar (optional).

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