A pissaladière is a crisp, flaky pizza-like pastry popular in the south of France. This version is made with prepared puff pastry, then topped with the traditional olives and anchovies. Here it is made as one rectangular tart, though you can make individual ones as well. The onions are roasted in the oven until soft, jammy, and a bit smoky. If you don’t have oven-roasted tomatoes in your pantry, sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil can be substituted. My favorite element is the grated dried goat cheese at the end.
Recipe information
Yield
makes one 10- to 11-inch tart; serves 8-10 as a first course
Ingredients
Melted Onions
Preparation
Step 1
Prepare a medium heat fire (375°F) in a wood-fired oven or cooker.
Step 2
To make the melted onions, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté the onions until translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the vinegars and a pinch of white pepper. Decrease the heat, stir in the sugar, and cook until the liquid is almost completely reduced and the onions have “melted” into a jam, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the thyme. Set aside.
Step 3
Place the puff pastry on a floured surface and roll out 1 inch larger all around. Lay on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Cut 3/4-inch-wide strips off each side of the puff pastry. Brush the edges of the pastry with the yolk mixture and place the cut strips on the edges to make a pastry rim. Cover the inside evenly with the toppings, starting with the melted onions and ending with the anchovies. Brush the rim with the yolk mixture. Place on a grate in the oven and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
Step 4
Remove from the oven and immediately dust with the grated goat cheese. Cut into portions and serve warm.
