Pissaladiere By Melissa Darabian Food

PISSALADIERE

Steps:

• For the topping, heat the olive oil in a very large saute pan and cook the onions, thyme, salt, pepper, and garlic over low heat for 45 minutes, until the onions are sweet and cooked but not browned. Toss the onions from time to time. After 30 minutes, take out the garlic, chop it roughly, and add it back to the onions.
• Meanwhile, for the dough, combine the water, yeast, honey, and olive oil in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. (If the bowl is cold, start with warmer water so it's at least 100 degrees F when you add the yeast.) Add 3 cups of the flour, then the salt, and mix on medium-low speed. While mixing, add 1 more cup of flour, or just enough to make a soft dough. Mix the dough on medium-low speed 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 board and knead it by hand a dozen times. It should be smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and turn it to cover lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel. Allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Divide the dough into 2 equal parts, rolling each 1 into a smooth ball. If you're only making 1 pissaladiere, place 1 ball on a baking sheet and cover it loosely with a damp towel. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. (If you're not using the other dough, wrap it well and refrigerate or freeze it for the next time.) 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 onion topping onto the dough, leaving a 3/4-inch border all around. Artfully 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. Serve hot on a cutting board.

PISSALADIERE

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in 1 cup of very warm water in a large bowl. Add 1 teaspoon salt, pepper to taste and 1 tablespoon oil. Stir in 2 1/2 cups flour, half a cup at a time. Begin kneading dough in bowl, adding more flour to make it soft and not too sticky. Knead about 5 minutes. Cover, and set aside to rise 1 hour.
• Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large skillet. Add onions, 1 teaspoon salt, bay leaf, herbes de Provence and pepper to taste. Cook over low heat until onions start to soften; cover, and cook about 45 minutes, until very soft but not colored. Uncover, remove bay leaf and increase heat briefly to cook off excess liquid.
• Heat oven to 475 degrees. Punch dough down. Roll, and stretch to fit a pizza pan or jellyroll pan greased with remaining oil. Spread with onions. Arrange olives, anchovies and peppers in pattern on top. Bake 20 minutes, cut in squares or wedges and serve.

PISSALADIèRE

Steps:

• Tip the flour, salt and yeast into a bowl. Pour in the water, spoon in the oil and mix to a soft dough. Turn out on to a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky.
• Return the dough to the bowl, cover with cling film or a damp tea towel and leave it to rise for 45 minutes to 1¼ hours or until the dough springs back when pressed. Don't worry too much is it takes more or less time - it's not critical for this relaxed recipe.
• While the dough is rising, heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan or sauté pan, throw in the onions and fry gently for about 10 minutes until softened but not browned, stirring from time to time.
• Sprinkle in the thyme and some salt and pepper, then tip in the tomatoes and stir well. Cover and cook gently for 45 minutes until the onions are meltingly soft, stirring occasionally and removing the lid for the last 10 minutes to reduce any liquid. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.
• Preheat the oven to 220C/gas 7/fan 200C. Lightly oil a shallow 23x33cm baking tin or tray. Knead the dough again briefly, then roll it out and press it into the tin. Don't leave it to rise again.
• Spread the onion mixture over the dough, then arrange the anchovies on top, making a criss-cross pattern. Stud each window between the anchovies with an olive, then bake for 25-30 minutes until golden. Serve warm, cold or reheated, cut into squares.

PISSALADIèRE

Steps:

• Make the filling: Finely chop 2 of the anchovy fillets. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, thyme and chopped anchovy, then cover pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, stir in salt, and continue cooking for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. The onions should be pale golden and very soft; lower the heat if they start to turn dark brown at the edges or stick to the skillet. Use your judgment on timing: Look to the color of the onions to tell you when they're done. Remove from heat and cool completely before using.
• Meanwhile, make the dough: In a medium bowl, sprinkle dry yeast over warm water. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes, then add oil. In a large bowl, whisk together flour and salt, then stir in yeast mixture with a wooden spoon until combined. Turn bowl's contents out onto a floured surface and knead until uniform and elastic, 3 to 5 minutes. (Flour your hands if necessary to keep dough from sticking.) Transfer dough to an oiled bowl, flip the dough over, cover bowl with a damp cloth and let rest in a draft-free place for 1 hour.
• Lightly oil an 11x17-inch rimmed baking sheet. Working on a floured surface, roll dough into an 11x16-inch rectangle, then transfer it to the oiled baking sheet and press the dough to the sides. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest for 30 minutes.
• Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread cooked onions evenly over dough, and top with remaining anchovies and olives. Bake until edges and underside are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

PISSALADIERE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Knead dough lightly, and place it on lightly floured surface; sprinkle it with a little more flour, and cover with plastic wrap or towel. Let rest while oven heats and you cook the onions.
• Place olive oil in large skillet, and turn heat to medium-high. Add onions, along with some salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions give up their liquid and become quite soft, at least 15 minutes; do not allow onions to brown. When they are cooked, turn off heat and stir in thyme.
• Pat or roll out dough as thinly as possible to diameter of 12 inches, using more flour or oil as necessary. The process will be easier if you allow dough to rest occasionally between rollings. If you have a pizza stone in your oven, place dough on a floured peel, or long-handled board; if you do not, lay dough on baking sheet brushed lightly with olive oil. Let dough rest for 15 to 30 minutes, or until it begins to puff ever so slightly.
• Spread dough with onions, and then decorate, if you like, with anchovies, olives, and tomato. Bake until nicely crisp, 15 minutes or more; if tart is browning unevenly, rotate it back to front about halfway through cooking time. Serve hot or at room temperature.