Classic French Recipes | Provencal onion tart - Pissaladiere

Head to the south of France – especially around Nice, Marseille and Toulon – in summer and Pissaladière is one delicious local dish that you simply must try, perhaps while having lunch en plein air with a chilled glass of Provence rosé at hand. This tomato-free, herby pizza-like treat was presumed to have been introduced to French palates during the time of the Avignon papacy by Roman soldiers.

There are many takes on it, with either capers and anchovies providing the salty taste of the sea and of course you should make your own dough for extra authenticity.

Ingredients


Serves 8

225g strong white flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
1 tsp soft brown sugar
1 tsp dried yeast
5 tbsp olive oil
900g onions, finely sliced
3 garlic cloves
1 sprig of thyme
1 tsp herbes de Provence, dry mix of thyme, basil, rosemary and oregano
1 bay leaf
100g anchovies
12 black, pitted Niçoise black olives
1 pinch black pepper, freshly ground


Making the dough

Combine the flour, 1 tsp salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Pour 150ml (5fl oz) warm water into a separate bowl, and use a fork to whisk in the sugar, then the yeast. Set aside for 10 minutes to froth then add to the flour along with the olive oil.

Form a dough, adding more warm water if the mixture looks too dry. Turn the dough out on to a floured board, and knead for 10 minutes. Shape into a ball, return to the bowl, and cover with a tea towel. Leave in a warm place for an hour or, or until the ball has doubled in size.

For the topping

Put the oil in a saucepan over a very low heat. Add the onions, garlic, herbs, and bay leaf. Cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for one hour, or until the onions have softened into a purée. Drain well and put to one side, removing the bay leaf.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Knead the dough briefly on a floured surface. Roll it out so it is thin and large enough to fit the Swiss roll tin. Prick all over with a fork.

Spread the onions over the base. Drain the anchovies, reserving 3 tbsp oil, and slice the fillets in half lengthways. Carefully place the olives in neat rows and arrange the anchovies in a criss-cross pattern on top of the onions. Drizzle with the reserved anchovy oil, and sprinkle with pepper.

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until the crust is brown. The onions should not brown or dry out. Remove and serve warm, cut into rectangles, squares, or wedges, or allow to cool before serving.