Food styling and photo by Orange Piggy © Sarah Phillips
Pissaladière, a specialty from Nice, in the south of France, is a caramelized onion tart with anchovies and black olives, on a thin pizza-like dough. It takes its name from the anchovy paste, or pissala, typically used to flavor the recipe. If desired, before spreading with the caramelized onions in Step #7, spread a light layer of anchovy paste over the pizza dough. Then top with the rest.
BREAD RECIPE HELP
INGREDIENTS
Caramelized onion topping:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound onions, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1 ounce anchovy filets in oil, drained (can substitute with shredded smoked salmon if you prefer)
1 tablespoon capers, drained and chopped
20 to 25 pitted black olive
The dough:
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup whole or 2% milk
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
4 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large eggs
2 3/4 to 3 1/4 cups bread flour; spoon into dry measuring cup and level to rim
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Make the topping: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, sauté onions and garlic. Add thyme leaves and cook on low heat, stirring often. Cook for 40 minutes or until the mixture turns golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature while you make the dough.
2. Make the dough: In a bowl of standing electric mixer with the dough hook attached, combine water, milk, yeast sugar oil, eggs and 1 1/2 cups of bread flour. Mix on low speed for 3 to 4 minutes. Mix the salt with 1/2 cup of flour and add to the dough. Increase to medium speed and knead for additional 7 minutes.
3. Add more flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until an elastic dough is formed and the dough clears the sides of the bowl. Mix for 1 minute after each addition.
4. ** At least 30 minutes before baking, put a pizza stone on the bottom of the oven and preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. **
5. Transfer the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a plastic wrap and let rest for 1 hour.
6. On a floured surface, deflate the dough lightly and divide into 2 balls. Cover loosely with a greased-side-down piece of plastic wrap, and let rest for 10 minutes.
7. Use a lightly floured rolling pin, roll each ball into 12-inch circle, 1/4-inch thick.
8. Spread each circle with half of the caramelized onion mixture. Scatter each circle with half of fish, capers and black olives.
9. Use a pizza peel to slip one tart onto the stone and bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven and bake the other tart.
SERVE
Cut with pizza cutter and serve immediately.
