Knoephla Pizza
Inspired by North Dakota's beloved German-Russian dumpling soup, this unique pizza features a creamy base, tender potatoes, smoky bacon, and fresh dill. It's comfort food heritage on a crust!
Equipment Needed
Instructions
Make the dough: Dissolve yeast in warm water, let stand 5 minutes. Add flour, salt, and melted butter. Knead until smooth, about 8 minutes. Cover and let rise 1 hour.
Prepare potatoes: Slice potatoes paper-thin using a mandoline (1/8 inch or less). Toss with a little olive oil and salt. The thin slices will cook through on the pizza.
Make the cream sauce: Melt butter in a saucepan, add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute. Gradually add milk and chicken broth, whisking constantly. Simmer until thickened, 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and white pepper.
Cook bacon: Cook bacon until crispy, drain and crumble. Set aside.
Preheat oven: Place pizza stone in oven and preheat to 475F (245C) for at least 30 minutes.
Shape the dough: Punch down risen dough and stretch into a 14-inch round. Transfer to floured pizza peel.
Assemble: Spread cream sauce over dough. Layer mozzarella and cheddar. Arrange potato slices in overlapping pattern. Scatter bacon crumbles and half the dill.
Bake: Slide pizza onto hot stone and bake 14-16 minutes until potatoes are tender and edges are golden, and cheese is bubbling.
Finish and serve: Remove from oven, top with remaining fresh dill and green onions. Let rest 3 minutes before slicing. Serve with extra cream sauce on the side if desired.
Pro Tips & Variations
- Thin potatoes are key: If potatoes are too thick, they won't cook through. Use a mandoline for consistent slices.
- Add knoephla dumplings: For authenticity, make small dumplings and par-cook them, then add to pizza.
- Celery addition: Finely diced celery adds the traditional knoephla soup flavor.
- Fresh dill matters: Don't substitute dried - fresh dill is essential to this dish.
- Make it richer: Add a drizzle of heavy cream after baking for extra indulgence.
- Chicken option: Add shredded chicken for a more substantial meal.