If you like colourful, accessible food, this one is for you.
This recipes shows off the lovely purple Urenika potato but you can substitute any good quality potato and the flavours will be the similar. Coloured potatoes contrast beautifully with smoked salmon and lemon so if you can, opt for colour potatoes.
The deep purple Urenika or Maori potato is precious here in New Zealand. They are pretty boring looking the outside, and their secret is within. The small knobbly spuds can be found at most farmers markets but are absent from supermarket chains and as there is no mass farming of these potatoes. It’s as shame as they are quite beautiful to look at and taste earthy. I guess their rarity makes them more special.
I’ve heard these potatoes can be quite easy to grow. In any case, at the end of summer, I poked a few sprouting potatoes into a planter box. The tomatoes were finished so I figured I had nothing to lose. A plant that looked liked nightshade sprouted up and when I pulled it up, I was surprised to find tiny purple balls attached to the roots. Eureka! Urenika! That’s right, potatoes are part of the nightshade family. A little confusing as we have bad nightshade and good nightshade in our yard. I popped the plant back into the soil and it seemed ok. Not sure when I should pull it up again, but for now, I’m going with store bought potatoes.
As one of my readers pointed out a comment the other day, they look like the French Vitelotte. Whether they are related or just similar looking, I don’t know. I only have small Urenika and they are waxy and the texture smooth and tight but I have heard that large Urenika are floury. Another reader suggested these potatoes would go great on pizza. Potato pizza? I had to give that a whirl.
For this recipe, you can use hot or cold smoked salmon. I used hot smoked salmon as I prefer the texture, but often cold smoked is all that is available.
Smoked Salmon & Urenika Potato Pizza
Serves several people as a snack/starter
or
2 hungry adults for a proper meal
Ingredients
- 1 large pizza base
- 2-4 Urenika potatoes (dependent on size)
- 50 grams (2oz) smoked salmon
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 cup grated cheese
- Fresh thyme
- 1 lemon
Preparation
- Pre-heat oven to 200°C / 390°F.
- Spread sour cream on pizza base and top with half of the grated cheese.
- Scrub and dry potatoes, peel them if you prefer and cut them as thin as you can with a with a sharp knife. If using hot smoked salmon, gently flake apart salmon, if using cold smoked salmon, chop into bite sized pieces.
- Arrange potato slices and smoked salmon onto of pizza. Top with the rest of the cheese and bake for 15 minutes until potatoes are cooked, cheese is golden and pizza base is cooked through.
- Gather fresh thyme and cut some thin lemon slices. Top pizza with lemon slices and thyme and bake for a further 5 minutes. A lazy cook could skip this part by adding all the ingredients in at the start but I find the fresh herbs get a bit *too* done.
- Squeeze lemon juice over pizza or serve with lemon wedges.
Variations and substitutions to try:
- Sweet potato instead of potato
- Cream cheese instead of sour cream
- Capers instead of lemon
- Dill instead of thyme
- Smoked white fish instead of smoked salmon
- Smoked mussels or smoked oysters instead of smoked salmon
Bunny Eats Design 
I had smoked salmon today too, but a quiche instead of pizza 😀 I love that vibrant colour of your pizza, especially the potatoes, looks so special
I adore smoked salmon quiche. Eggs and smoked salmon are lovely together. Another firm favourite of mine is eggs benedict – poached eggs, eggy hollandaise and smoked salmon. What a way to start the day!
I totally agree with you on Egg Benedict, they are the best breakfast idea. But I never attempted to make one though, seem like a lot of work in the morning.
It looks so colourful and yummy!
Hey, congrats on getting this on tastespotting!! The colors look stunning!
Thanks Alice, I just noticed the acceptance from Tastespotting today. Woot!
Just discovered your blog when blog hopping.
This recipe looks so yummy and colorful,I love that you used thyme to flavor the salmon.
I’m a big fan of potatoes on pizza, and smoked salmon on pizza. Well done–very nice colors and composition.
Hi Kirsten, thanks for your comment. Farm Fresh Feasts sounds amazing!
This pizza is gorgeous! Just gorgeous! It’s like a feast for the eyes. I love that you used the urenika potato and I can just imagine who delicious the smoked salmon is here.
absolutely gorgeous! almost looks too delicious to eat…almost 🙂
thanks for sharing and linking up!
Fabulous photography and I’m a little bit in love with this pizza. May I use one of your pizza photos for a blog I am writing? You would have direct credit and links to your site. Thank you!
Hi Janet, I will email you directly. Thanks for dropping by.
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Thank you so very much, Genie. Here’s a link. Hope it brings many more lovely people to your splendid blog. Cheers!
http://wp.me/pOW7O-12N