A Pissaladiere is a type of savory tart which is particularly popular in the South of France. It consists of a yeast dough which is rolled out and topped with caramelized onions, anchovies and black olives. The tart is then baked for a short amount of time, just until the crust firms up.
Pissaladiere is sometimes made with pissalat, which makes up part of the dishes name. Pissalat is a soft salted anchovy fish paste used as a condiment. When making a traditional Pissaladiere, the pissalat is spread over the dough before topping with the caramelized onions.
Since all the ingredients on the Pissaladierre have strong individual tastes, the pissalat is sometimes omitted. This may also be due to the overall saltiness of the tart.
Pissaladiere is versatile and is eaten as street food, served as an appetizer or enjoyed cold for lunch or picnics and is often accompanied with a glass of wine.
Origin & Cultural Significance
French Pissaladiere originated in the South of France in the region of Nice. Across the border in Liguria, Italy originates a similar tart called Sardenaira but, in addition to the olives and anchovies it contains tomatoes. Which region influenced the other first is still uncertain.
French Pissaladiere Recipe
Ingredients
Dough
- Warm water - ½ cups
- Dry yeast - 1 packet or 1 ¼ tsp
- Olive oil - 1 ½ tbsp
- All-purpose flour – 2 cups, plus extra for kneading
Topping
- Olive oil - 1/4 cup
- Yellow onions, sliced 1/4-inch thick - 2 lb
- Thyme leaves - 1 tbsp
- Salt - 1 1/2 tsp
- Black pepper - 1/2 tsp
- Garlic cloves, sliced - 2
- Anchovy fillets - 12
- Black olives, cured and pitted (French) - 12
- Cornmeal, for baking
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a very large pan and cook the onions, thyme, salt, pepper, and garlic over low heat for up to 40 minutes or until the onions are sweet and cooked, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, for the dough, combine the water, yeast, and olive oil in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook.
- Add the flour and salt, and mix on medium-lowspeed for about 10 minutes, until smooth, sprinkling it with flour to keep it from sticking to the bowl.
- When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a floured surface and knead it by hand a dozen times. It should be smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel. Allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Roll the dough lightly with a rolling pin, then stretch it to a 10 by 15-inch rectangle and place it on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal.
- Spoon the cooked onions onto the dough, leaving a 3/4-inch border all around.
- Arrange the anchovies and olives on top, brush the edge of the dough with olive oil and bake for 15 minutes, or until the crust is crisp.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 324Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 709mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 4gSugar: 6gProtein: 8g