Pissaladière
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Onions, thinly sliced — 1 kg (2.2 lb)
- Olive oil, plus extra for brushing — 1/4 cup (60 ml / 2 fl oz)
- Fresh thyme — 1 sprig
- Bay leaf — 1
- Pizza or bread dough — 500 g (1 lb 2 oz)
- Anchovy fillets — 12
- Black olives (Niçoise if available) — 1/2 cup (75 g / 2.5 oz)
- Salt and pepper — to taste
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and add the sliced onions, thyme and bay leaf.
- Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 40–45 minutes until the onions are very soft, sweet and golden, without browning too much.
- Season with salt and pepper, then remove the bay leaf and thyme stem.
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F).
- Roll out the dough on a baking tray and brush lightly with olive oil.
- Spread the cooked onions evenly over the dough.
- Arrange the anchovy fillets in a lattice pattern on top and dot with olives.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes until the crust is golden.
Introduction: A savoury tart of slow-cooked onions topped with anchovies and black olives, a shared favourite of Monaco and the wider Riviera coast.
Cultural Background: Pissaladière takes its name from pissalat, a traditional anchovy paste once used as its base, and remains a well-loved lunch dish across the Monégasque and Niçoise coastline, the sweetness of slow-cooked onions balanced by salty anchovy and olive.
Tips: Cook the onions low and slow — rushing this step will prevent them from developing the necessary sweetness. Use good-quality anchovies and olives, as they are the dish’s defining flavours.
Variations: Add a light scattering of fresh thyme leaves before baking. Use a thinner, cracker-like base for a crisper style.
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Reheating: Reheat in an oven at 180°C (350°F) for 10 minutes until warmed through.
Nutrition: Per serving (approx.): 320 kcal, 8 g protein, 14 g fat, 42 g carbohydrate.
FAQs:
Q: Can pissaladière be made without anchovies?
A: Traditionally anchovies are central to the dish,
Q: What type of olives are traditional?
A: Small, dark Niçoise olives are the classic choice.
- Onions, thinly sliced — 1 kg (2.2 lb)
- Olive oil, plus extra for brushing — 1/4 cup (60 ml / 2 fl oz)
- Fresh thyme — 1 sprig
- Bay leaf — 1
- Pizza or bread dough — 500 g (1 lb 2 oz)
- Anchovy fillets — 12
- Black olives (Niçoise if available) — 1/2 cup (75 g / 2.5 oz)
- Salt and pepper — to taste
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