How to make Pissaladière

Celebrate Bastille Day with a Traditional French Pizza-Style Dish

Jul 12, 2009 Kate Machin

This classic French dish of caramelized onions, anchovies and olives may look and taste like an Italian pizza, but its origins are quite different.

Pissaladière is a classic dish from the city of Nice, in southern France. Its name derives from the Niçoise condiment pissalat, which is a pungent paste of anchovies, cloves, herbs, pepper and olive oil. However, as pissalat is not widely available outside of France, anchovy fillets are often used instead. Pissaladière can be served warm or cold and makes a great snack or light lunch.

Pissaladière Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 quantity of pizza dough (recipe following)
• 5 large onions
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 20 anchovy fillets
• 20 black olives, pitted
• Fresh basil leaves, to garnish

Dough:

• 1 sachet (7 grams) dried yeast
• 1 teaspoon caster (superfine) sugar
• 2 cups plain flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 50 milliliters milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Method:

1. To make the dough, place the yeast, sugar and 1/3 cup of warm water into a bowl and stir lightly to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 15 minutes, or until the mixture begins to froth up.
2. Sift the flour into a large bowl and make a well in the center. Add the egg, milk, salt and yeast mixture, and gradually work the ingredients together until a soft dough forms.
3. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in large oiled bowl, moving the dough around so that it is lightly covered in the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough has doubled in size (2-3 hours).
4. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius. Peel and finely slice the onions. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, then add the onions, rosemary and thyme. Cover and cook for about 20 minute or until the onions are very soft.
5. Add the sugar and cook for 2-3 minutes until lightly caramelized. Add the balsamic vinegar and cook for a further minute. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
6. Punch down the risen dough, then turn it out onto a floured surface. Divide the dough into four even sections and roll each section out into a thin rectangle. Fold the edges of the dough over slightly to form a crust.
7. Lightly oil two large baking trays. Place the rolled dough onto the trays and top evenly with the onion mixture.
8. Arrange the anchovies in a diamond pattern over the onions and place an olive in the center of each diamond shape. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
9. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve with a green salad. Bon appétit!

The copyright of the article How to make Pissaladière in French Cuisine is owned by Kate Machin. Permission to republish How to make Pissaladière in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Pissaladiere is a French dish similar to pizza

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