Pissaladière
Pissaladière is a savory tart from the South of France, featuring a rich caramelized onion topping on a soft, thick bread-like crust. It's traditionally garnished with anchovy fillets and black olives, offering a delightful balance of sweet and salty flavors. This makes a wonderful appetizer or light lunch.
An original recipe by Forkin
- Total time
- 3 hr
- Serves
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Per serving
- 403 kcal
Allergen information: may contain fish and gluten. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.
Mise en place
Ingredients
dough
- 300 gall-purpose flour
- 7 gactive dry yeast
- 180 mlwater, lukewarm
- 2 tbspolive oil
- 0.5 tspsalt
topping
- 1.5 kgyellow onion, thinly sliced
- 3 tbspolive oil
- 2 clovegarlic, minced
- 1 tspthyme, fresh, chopped
- 1 pcsbay leaf
- 0.25 tspsalt
- 0.25 tspblack pepper, freshly ground
garnish
- 12 pcsanchovy fillet, drained, halved lengthwise
- 18 pcsniçoise olive, pitted
Equipment
large bowl · large pot · baking sheet · parchment paper · knife
The method
Step by step
- 1
In a large bowl, combine the water and active dry yeast, letting it sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Ensure your water is lukewarm (around 105-115°F or 40-46°C) to activate the yeast without killing it.
- 2
Add the all-purpose flour, olive oil, and salt to the yeast mixture.
- 3
Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.
About 2 min
- 4
Knead the dough for about 8-10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic.
About 10 min
- 5
Lightly grease the bowl, place the dough back in, cover with a clean cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
About 1 hr
Cook’s note: A slightly warm oven (turned off) can be a good place for dough to rise.
- 6
While the dough rises, prepare the onion topping; heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Using a wide pot helps the moisture evaporate more easily from the onions.
- 7
Add the yellow onion to the pot, stirring to coat evenly with oil.
- 8
Cook the onions very slowly for 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are very soft, deeply caramelized, and sweet.
About 1 hr
Cook’s note: Patience is key here; low and slow cooking prevents burning and develops maximum sweetness.
- 9
Stir in the garlic, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper during the last 10 minutes of cooking the onions.
About 10 min
Cook’s note: Adding garlic too early can cause it to burn and become bitter.
- 10
Remove the bay leaf and set the caramelized onions aside to cool completely.
About 10 min
- 11
Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F).
About 15 min
- 12
Punch down the risen dough and gently press or roll it into a large rectangle (approximately 35x25 cm or 14x10 inches) on a lightly floured surface or directly in a baking sheet.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: The dough should be about 1/2 inch thick.
- 13
Transfer the dough to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
About 1 min
- 14
Spread the cooled caramelized onions evenly over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
About 2 min
- 15
Arrange the anchovy fillets in a lattice pattern on top of the onions.
About 2 min
- 16
Place one niçoise olive in the center of each diamond formed by the anchovies.
About 2 min
- 17
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the topping is bubbling.
About 35 min
- 18
Remove from the oven and let it cool for at least 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.
About 15 min
Cook’s note: Pissaladière is often served lukewarm or at room temperature.
Per serving
Nutrition
- Calories
- 402.7kcal
- Protein
- 9.2g
- Carbs
- 62g
- Fat
- 13g
- Fibre
- 6.2g
- Sugar
- 10.7g
Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.
Keep it good
Store leftover pissaladière in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Reheat gently in a warm oven for best results, or briefly in a microwave.