Pissaladière (Caramelized Onion Tart)
This southern French tart takes its name from pissala, a pungent anchovy paste that gives the flatbread its distinctive flavor. Serve this savory bread as an appetizer or snack with chilled rosé. This recipe first appeared in our June/July 2012 issue along with Sylvie Bigar's story The Road to Paradise.
Enlarge Image
Credit: Landon Nordeman
INGREDIENTS
1 (¼-oz.) package active dry yeast3 cups flour
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
1 tbsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
20 oil-packed anchovies, drained and finely chopped
12 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced lengthwise
4 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs rosemary
2 bay leaves
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
½ cup pitted, halved black olives
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Make the dough: Whisk together yeast and 1 cup water, heated to 115°, in a large bowl; let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add flour, ¼ cup oil, and salt, and stir until dough forms; transfer to a floured work surface and knead until smooth, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit until doubled in size, about 1 hour.2. Meanwhile, make the topping: Heat remaining oil in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium-low heat; add anchovies, and cook, stirring, until dissolved in the oil, about 7 minutes. Add onions, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, and salt and pepper, and cook, covered and stirring occasionally, until reduced and softened, about 1 hour; uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid evaporates and onions are golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and discard herb sprigs and bay leaf; let cool.
3. Heat oven to 425°. Uncover dough and transfer to a work surface; using a rolling pin, roll dough into a 12" x 18" rectangle. Transfer dough rectangle to a greased 13" x 18" rimmed baking sheet, and then cover evenly with onion mixture; place olive halves decoratively over onion mixture. Cover tart loosely with plastic wrap and let sit until dough is puffed, about 1 hour. Bake until golden brown at the edges, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting into squares to serve.
I have made another Onion Tart from Saveur, and, as is traditional, I laid the anchovies on the tart at the end. WAY too fishy and threw the whole thing out.
This pissaladiere, ingeniously, cooks the anchovies into the olive oil at the start. While this made for an incredibly pungent kitchen for the first hour, in the end, the result was sublime. Any initial bite was in the 3-4 star range, but the after taste was out of this world. No cold rosé on hand, just a robust southern Rhone, so don't know about the match but expect it would be excellent.
Thankyou Saveur, finally an onion tart, heavy on the anchois, that I love.
I have made another Onion Tart from Saveur, and, as is traditional, I laid the anchovies on the tart at the end. WAY too fishy and threw the whole thing out.
This pissaladiere, ingeniously, cooks the anchovies into the olive oil at the start. While this made for an incredibly pungent kitchen for the first hour, in the end, the result was sublime. Any initial bite was in the 3-4 star range, but the after taste was out of this world. No cold rosé on hand, just a robust southern Rhone, so don't know about the match but expect it would be excellent.
Thankyou Saveur, finally an onion tart, heavy on the anchois, that I love. Rating: 5