Provence’s Version of Pizza – Pissaladière
David Scott Allen · Lunchtime Meals · Provencal Recipes · TasteThis traditional recipe from Provence combines onions that have been cooked for so long they are almost melting, anchovies and olives add design flair and a slightly salty edge to this pizza-like dish. Pissaladière is often served as a snack with an apéro (think chilled rosé) or as a light meal with a green salad. The recipe (below) comes from David Scott Allen’s article Life Through Rosé-filled Glasses. Take a look at his photos. They are mouth-watering.
Pissaladière Provencal
This recipe was created by David, it is a blend of several variations for the same dish. This version will serve 6 as a main course or 12 as an appetizer.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 1/2 pounds yellow onions peeled, halved and sliced
- 2 tsp demerara sugar (raw sugar)
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 sheet puff pastry thawed*
- 20-24 anchovy fillets packed in oil, drained
- 10-15 Moroccan oil-cured olives halved and pitted
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 2 tsp fresh thyme chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the onions and Demerara sugar and sauté, stirring frequently, until the onions become tender and start to turn golden.
- Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and thyme and mix well. (Do not be tempted to add additional salt - both the anchovies and the olives bring plenty of salt to the recipe.)
- Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven.
- Cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are wilted, very soft, and are well caramelized throughout.
- Add the vinegar during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
- Remove the onions from the oven and set them aside while preparing the pastry for the pissaladière. Let them come to room temperature. **
- Raise the oven temperature to 425°F.
- Roll out the pastry to 13-inch x 19-inch rectangle.
- Place the pastry onto a 12-inch by 18-inch baking sheet, folding the edges of the pastry over about 1/2-inch to create a raised border.
- Spread the pastry with the onion confit up to the doubled edges.
- Arrange the anchovy filets in a harlequin (diamond) patter and place 1 pitted half-olive in the middle of each diamond.
- Bake it for 15 to 18 minutes, until the pastry has puffed up, turned golden, and crisped.
- Remove the pissaladière from the oven and sprinkle the olive oil and fresh thyme across the hot surface of the tart.
- Cut it into rectangles and serve very warm or at room temperature.
Notes
*If you would like to make your own crust click here for a quick puff pastry recipe from Vintage Kitchen.**The onions can be made ahead to this point 2 days in advance.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Legal
All rights reserved. Perfectly Provence articles and other content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten (including translations into other languages) or redistributed without written permission. For usage information, please contact us.
Syndication InformationAffiliate Information
As an Amazon Associate, this website earns from qualifying purchases. Some recipes, posts and pages may have affiliate links. If you purchase via these links, we receive a small commission that does not impact your price. Thank you in advance for supporting our work to maintain Perfectly Provence.
Previous Post
Best Markets in Provence: Part 1 ProvençalRelated Provence Articles
Pizza in the Colorado
June 1, 2015
By David Taylor At the Colorado Provençal, near Rustrel is the Pizzaria du Colorado, family run and always busy especially with locals who also use the bar, the inside is warm and cosy with lots of tables, outside is a vast terrace, great in summer and at lunchtime after hiking around the amazing Explore this …
How to Brine your own Olives, Alpilles Style
March 7, 2018
The Olive Culture of Les Alpilles One of the ladies on our street gave Robin this as a gift when he came to the rescue and changed her gas bottle. She even put the olive branch on. It was so delicious I could have drunk the stuff, I practically did… I was in the village …
Fire Destroys an Olive Grove in Provence
July 13, 2021
As in many parts of the world, hot summer months in Provence bring an increased risk of forest fires. Fire in the Olives If we ever needed a reminder that all it takes is a spark, our friends at Les Pastras lost 180 olive trees to a grass fire on July 8th. Dry conditions, a …
Crespeou a Classic Provencal Recipe for Picnics
August 8, 2016
Crespeou (pronounced cres-PAY-oo) means crêpe in Provencal is also called Gâteau d’Omelettes. This is a traditional Provencal recipe, which is often found in picnic hampers …
No Comment