Pissaladière

Ingredients

Base

• 400 gplain or strong flour
• 250 mlwarm water
• 7 ginstant yeast
• 1 tspsalt
• 3 tbspolive oil

Onions

• 2 kgonions, thinly sliced
• 100 mlolive oil
• 4 sprigsthyme
• 2bay leaves
• 3 clovesgarlic
• salt

To top

• 20anchovy fillets in oil
• 100 gsmall black Niçoise olives
• more thyme

Traditional

• 2 tbsppissalat, anchovy paste

Note

• there is no tomato and no cheese in a pissaladière

Directions

1. Slice the onions thinly and evenly. Heat the olive oil in a very wide heavy pan and add the onions with a good pinch of salt, the thyme and bay. Cook them covered on the lowest possible heat for 30 minutes, until they collapse and release their water.
2. Start covered so they steam and soften in their own juices, then uncover to drive the water off. Now uncover and cook a further 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally.
3. Keep the heat genuinely low. Add the garlic for the last 15 minutes. They are ready when they are meltingly soft, pale gold, and hold together in a spoonable mass with no liquid left.
4. Cook off every trace of moisture. A wet onion topping makes the base soggy and it is the commonest failure. Cool them completely and fish out the bay and thyme stalks. Meanwhile make the dough: mix the flour, yeast, salt, water and olive oil and knead 8 minutes.
5. Prove it 1 hour 30 minutes until doubled. Roll or press the dough out into a rectangle on an oiled tray, about 5 mm thick, pushing it into the corners. Press it out with your hands rather than rolling, and let it rest a few minutes if it springs back.
6. Spread the pissalat thinly over the base if you have it. Spread the cooled onions over in a thick even layer, right to the edges. Take the onions all the way to the edge. Put a single olive in the centre of each diamond.
7. Bake at 200°C (390°F) for 25 to 30 minutes until the base is cooked through and golden at the edges. Do not overbake the anchovies, which go bitter and dry if they blacken. Let it cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting.

Technique

• Pissalat is hard to find outside Nice and anchovy fillets mashed with oil are the usual stand-in.
• Some versions use a shortcrust or puff base, which Niçois traditionalists reject.
• It is better after resting and is often made in the morning to eat at midday.

Substitutions

• Anchovy fillets mashed to a paste, in place of pissalat.
• Ready-made pizza dough or bread dough.

Variations

• Made on a puff pastry base.
• Without anchovies, for those who dislike them, which locals consider a different thing.
• Sardenaira, the Ligurian relative, which does include tomato.

History

Named after pissalat, a Niçois anchovy paste spread on onion-topped dough; a Ligurian and Provençal street food.

Frequently asked questions

What is Pissaladière?

Pissaladière is a bread & pastry from Monaco: caramelised onion tart with anchovies and olives. Named after pissalat, a Niçois anchovy paste spread on onion-topped dough; a Ligurian and Provençal street food.

How long does Pissaladière take to make?

Pissaladière takes 30 min plus 1 hr 30 min rising of preparation and 1 hr 30 min of cooking. The recipe makes 1 large tart. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Pissaladière?

Yes, within limits. Anchovy fillets mashed to a paste, in place of pissalat. Ready-made pizza dough or bread dough.

What is the most important thing to get right in Pissaladière?

Prove it 1 hour 30 minutes until doubled. Roll or press the dough out into a rectangle on an oiled tray, about 5 mm thick, pushing it into the corners. Press it out with your hands rather than rolling, and let it rest a few minutes if it springs back.