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!
Full day Bandol & Cassis Discovery Wine Tour from Marseille
Begin your journey in the medieval village of Le Castellet, perched elegantly atop a wooded hill overlooking lush vineyards. Next, venture into the renowned Bandol wine region.
Book this ExperienceLegal
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
Market-Inspired Salmon with Onion Compote
July 15, 2020
The following salmon recipe was definitely market-inspired. I created the onion compote with tiny I’itoi (pronounced ee-EE-toy) onions an old-world crop.…
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 …
Fougasse with Sweet Onions, Olives and Anchovies
March 12, 2021
Today, the border between France and Italy runs for 515 kilometres (320 miles) through mountainous terrain. However, prior to the 1860 Treaty of Turin, the border was much more fluid and so were the culinary traditions. Fougasse is a type of French flatbread from the Provence region; a bit like Provence’s version of Italy’s focaccia, but …
How to Make La Pissaladière the Niçoise Flatbread
January 9, 2023
It’s hard to define la Pissaladière with slow-cooked onions, olives and anchovies. It’s not quite pizza, not quite a focaccia, but somewhere in between. Nevertheless, this popular street food is a delicious reason to visit Nice, France! What is La Pissaladière? A staple in traditional Cuisine Nissarde recipes, la Pissaladièra (in Nissart) is reproduced below …
No Comment