Smoked Salmon Everything Bagel Tart
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A savory tart riff on the classic everything bagel loaded with smoked trout and fresh herbs. A buttery flaky crust, a creamy herbed spread, and crisp cucumber combine with zingy pickled onion and capers for bites that burst. The bagel seasoning mix gets a twist with toasted fennel seeds swapping garlic, lending unexpected depth. Finished with optional soft poached eggs; great brunch or light dinner. Texture plays and aroma signals guide the bake and assembly. Master crust puff and avoid soggy bottom with a quick blind bake. A blend of sour cream and cream cheese replaces straight cream cheese for extra tang and silk. The lemon zest is background shimmer, not overt citrus attack. A confident pie that stands out, far from basic.
Prep:
35 min
Cook:
30 min
Total:
65 min
Servings:
4 to 6 servings
#French-Canadian fusion
#brunch recipes
#savory tarts
#puff pastry
#smoked fish
#everything bagel
Smoked salmon tart reinvented with everything bagel soul. Or smoked trout devilry, if you want to play it subtle smoky instead of oily salted. Puff pastry game strong here—get crisp and flaky or bust. Learned the hard way raw seasoning on top burns and gets bitter; flipping it under softens and toasts internally. Dill and sour cream combo adds a lift that plain cream cheese cannot. Toasted fennel over garlic in mix gives surprising puck and sweetness. Pickled onion soft, tangy, no bite that punches—you want perforation, not attack—cucumber cools. Capers salt pockets that divide and conquer. Best with soft poached eggs, yolk spilling like sunrise through this layered gem. Bake low and slow; watch crust puff for gold flashes and texture delicate but firm.
Ingredients
Pickled Onion
- 1 small red onion sliced paper-thin
- 20 ml lemon juice
- 1 ml fine sea salt
Bagel Seasoning Mix
- 20 ml toasted sesame seeds mix black and white
- 8 ml toasted poppy seeds
- 10 ml dried minced shallot substitute for dehydrated onion
- 10 ml dried minced garlic replaced by toasted fennel seeds crushed
- 2.5 ml flaky sea salt
Tart
- 2 sheets 180 g puff pastry defrosted and cold — smaller than usual, puff spreads less and crispier
- Milk for brushing
- 200 g cream cheese and sour cream blend whipped smooth, softened
- 40 ml freshly chopped dill plus extra for garnish
- 150 g smoked trout thinly sliced substitute for smoked salmon, subtler flavor
- 1 Lebanese cucumber thinly sliced
- 25 ml capers drained
- 1/2 lemon sliced thin for garnish
- 4 medium eggs softly poached optional
About the ingredients
Pass on plain cream cheese if possible; mix with sour cream for brightness and spreadability. Puff pastry thinner but enough weight is crucial, thinner sheets crisp better but risk drying. All seeds toast quickly; watch for smoke or burnt bitter flavors—toast in dry skillet over medium heat 1–2 minutes max, stirring constantly to avoid char. Dried shallot replaces difficult to find dehydrated onion; shallot lends gentler sweetness. Fennel seed crushed pops flavor in the mix, garlic replaced to avoid overpower. Pickled onion is staple; lemon juice can be swapped for white vinegar for zingier acidity but lemon keeps it fresh and fruity. Salmon swaps for trout are intentional; trout less oily, fishy, holds subtle smoky notes. Caper quantity reduced slightly for balance with bright lemon. Milk brushed crust browns better than water or egg wash here; egg white risks uneven color.
Method
Pickled Onion
- Toss thin onion slices with lemon juice and salt in a small bowl. Let rest minimum 15 minutes to soften sharpness and lift color. Drain excess before layering on tart.
Bagel Seasoning Mix
- Combine all seeds, dried shallot, crushed fennel, and flaky salt in a small bowl. Toast sesame and poppy seeds gently in pan beforehand to release oil aroma. Keep airtight at room temp up to 3 months. Use vibrant toasted fennel for anise twist, avoid overpowering garlic punch.
Tart
- Setup oven’s lowest rack with rack in place. Preheat to 210°C. Line baking sheet with silicone mat or parchment paper.
- On floured board, stack pastry sheets and roll carefully into approx 36 x 24 cm rectangle. Keep cold, gentle pressure avoids toughening dough. Transfer to baking sheet.
- Brush surface lightly with milk — helps seasoning stick and browns crust well. Sprinkle bagel seasoning evenly and pat lightly with fingertips. Flip pastry, seasoning side down on mat or parchment. This dulls the raw seed sharpness, gently toasting them inside during bake.
- Fold edges inward 1 cm to form neat rim. Dock dough base with fork holes evenly spaced so steam escapes; crust won’t bubble up explosively or warp.
- Bake 28 to 30 minutes, watching for golden flash underneath edges and uniform puff. Crust should be crisp, not burnt. If puff too violent, prick again mid-bake.
- While crust bakes, whip cream cheese blend with dill until airy but stable.
- Spread herb cheese clearly but not thick across warm tart base. Warm crust absorbs fat better, no slipping.
- Layer smoked trout evenly on top, fold thin ribbons or small folds to show texture. Scatter drained pickled onion on trout, pressing gently.
- Add overlapping cucumber slices, distribute capers last for visual contrast and bursts of salt.
- Sprinkle fresh dill generously to refresh flavors and add color pop.
- Serve with lemon half slices on side for optional squeeze. Add softly poached eggs if using. Runny yolk mixes with creamy layer, richness balanced by cucumber crisp.
- Note smells to watch: buttery puff aroma signals doneness. Raw dough smell means underbaked still, needs more time. When picking seasoning seeds, avoid stale or burnt smells.
- Pro tip: To avoid soggy bottom, do not add wet toppings until after crust cools slightly. Any watery ingredient will drag sogginess into crust fast.
- If no puff pastry, light pita or naan can be quick sub but texture and lift differ drastically. Cheese layer thicker to compensate.
- For storage, tart best eaten fresh. Leftovers can be reheated at 160°C for 5-7 minutes to crisp back up.
- Pickled onion can be rested overnight for sharper acidity. However, overpickled can overpower delicate smoked fish.
- For speedy poaching, simmer water with splash vinegar, stir to create vortex, drop eggs gently, 3-4 minutes depending on size. Test yolk doneness fast in cold water bath.
Cooking tips
Hands-on feel over clock rules here. Roll pastry cold and even; dough warms fast, easy to toughen crust. Flipping seasoning semifixated into dough inside prevents burning seed edges; results more aromatic complex flavor. Docking crucial—skipping leads to ugly crust bubbles and uneven bake, compromising texture. Oven rack lowest helps puff rise from bottom before heat overwhelms layers. Color shift, light nutty smell, and faint crackle sound tell crust ready. Cream cheese whipped with dill expands surface for better spread without tearing pastry. Build layers just before serving to keep pickle crunch and cucumber fresh. Poached eggs optional but worth mastering; yolk breaks into creamy base carrying salty fish and herbs. Crowded pan steams, avoids crisp; bake on large sheet for airflow and even heat. Leftovers score best reheated low and slow for texture recovery. Cool crust slightly before topping to avoid sogginess from steam condensation.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Roll pastry cold, even pressure. Dough warms fast, gets tough. Keep floured board ready. Handle gently. Folding edges 1 cm forms neat rim, helps hold layers later. Dock with fork evenly to avoid big bubbles. Watch oven bottom rack - puff signals early doneness; listen for faint crackle, smell buttery toast. Hot edges too dark means reduce heat or bake time next round.
- 💡 Toast seeds fast in dry pan low-medium heat. Stir constantly; seconds turn bitter burnt. Sesame and poppy give aroma first, add fennel crushed last to avoid overwhelming anise note. Garlic replaced with fennel stops harsh punch; subtle, unexpected flavor lift. Mix all seeds with flaky salt before toasting. Store airtight room temp max 3 months, stays fresh for repeats.
- 💡 Brush milk lightly not wet; too much makes soggy. Milk browns crust better than water or egg white here. Flip pastry to seed side down on parchment before baking. This softens raw seed edges, toasts inside. Baking seed side up burns seeds, tastes bitter. Folding edges seals filling inside. Watch puff mid-bake; prick again if rising too violently so crust holds shape, no warps.
- 💡 Whip cream cheese and sour cream blend for tang and silk. Use fresh dill chopped well, fold gently to keep airy texture. Spread warm tart base thin layer; warm crust absorbs fat better, stops slipping layers. Layer fish thin; trout subtler than salmon, less oily. Press pickled onion lightly on fish to keep crunch, no dripping moisture. Add cucumber slices and capers last for bursts of salt and cool crunch.
- 💡 Cool crust slightly before topping to avoid soggy base from steam condensation. Store leftovers refrigerated, reheat low oven 160°C 5-7 mins to crisp crust back up. If no puff pastry, substitute with thin pita or naan; thicker cheese layer helps texture. Pickled onions benefit from minimum 15 mins rest or overnight for sharper tang but overpickling dulls fish flavors. Poach eggs gently with vinegar water vortex for 3-4 mins; yolk runny adds rich creaminess to finished tart.
Common questions
How to avoid soggy bottom?
Let crust cool slightly before layering wet toppings. Wet fillings drag moisture fast, ruins crispness. Dock dough base well so steam can escape during baking. Blind bake crust enough but not overbrown. If crust soft, lower oven or bake longer next time.
Can I swap smoked trout with salmon?
Yes, trout less oily, subtler smoke. Salmon stronger flavor. Adjust toppings accordingly. Use fresh dill for herb balance. Pickled onion softens bite with both. Fish texture affects layering; trout is easier to fold thin ribbons for texture play.
What if I don’t have puff pastry?
Go pita or naan thin but lose some puff texture. Cheese layer thicker to make up for less lift. Bake crisp on pan first. Watch dough thickness or it tastes dense. Toast seeds same way to keep seasoning flavor intact. Crust won't be flaky but still tasty base.
How long store leftovers?
Best eaten fresh. Refrigerate leftover tart covered, 1-2 days max. Reheat oven 160° for 5-7 mins crisp crust. Avoid microwave; soggy crust. Pickled onion can over-soak fish if stored too long. If freezing, wrap well, thaw slow, reheat gently. Texture changes, expect softer layers.
