Recipe for Pissaladière

This delicious Provencal version of pizza is a firm favourite in Nice and the French Riviera. It’s easy to make at home, is great for a snack or light meal, very moreish and goes well with a green salad or on its own or with a glass of chilled rosé…

Ingredients for a Pissaladière for 6

40g (1 ½ oz butter)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1.5kg (3lb 5 oz) onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons thyme leaves
1 quantity of bread dough – easy make recipe below
1 tablespoon olive oil
16 anchovies sliced in half
24 pitted olives (if you’re not a fan of olives you can use cherry tomatoes cut in half)

How to make bread dough

2 teaspoons baker’s yeast (15g/ ½ oz)
200g (2 cups) strong plain (all purpose) flour
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
125ml warm water

Sift the flour, add the yeast and salt and mix. Stir in the olive oil and lukewarm water and knead into a dough by hand or with a mixer. Leave to rest in a lightly oiled container for one hour.

Turn out on a lightly floured surface and roll into shape.

How to make Pissaladière

Melt the butter with the olive oil in a pan.

Add the thinly sliced onions and half the thyme.

Cover the pan and cook on a low heat for 45 minutes stirring from time to time. The onions should be soft but not brown. Season with salt and pepper and leave to cool.

Preheat oven to 200˚C (400˚F/Gas mark 6).

Roll out the bread dough and place in an oiled tin (34 x 26xm is ideal).

Brush the top of the bread with olive oil and spread the onions over the top.

Lay the anchovies in a lattice pattern over the onion and pop the olives in the lattice diamonds. Wash them in water if you like them less salty.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the dough is cooked and lightly browned.

Sprinkle the remaining thyme over and serve warm or cold, cut into squares.