Recipe for pissaladière

Said to be the Niçoise answer to the Italian pizza, the pissaladière is the perfect dish to serve as an appetiser, says Eric Fraudeau from cookery school, Cook’n With Class Uzès

The pissaladière, which originates from Nice, is one of the oldest specialities of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region (it dates back to the 1st century AD). The name is derived from pissalat, a purée of salted fish that is made from a mixture of poutine, a type of sardine, and anchovies. Originally, the recipe called for the dough to be lathered with this purée but this has now been replaced with either anchovy cream or fillets. As delicious served warm as it is cold, pair this with a chilled rosé for a perfect Mediterranean-style appetiser.

For the dough

Prep time: 120 mins. Cook time: 40 mins.

Ingredients:

350 gr. / 12.3 oz. flour for bread

20 gr. / 0.7 oz. fresh yeast

28 gr. / 1 oz. olive oil

10 gr. / 0.4 oz. salt

Method:

Put the yeast, 2 spoons warm water and olive oil into a large bowl and mix well

Add the flour and the salt and mix for 10 to 15 minutes

Let rest at room temperature for two hours

It should have doubled in volume before you use it

For the topping

Ingredients:

8 onions (yellow)

2 cloves garlic

Salt and pepper

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

100 gr. / 3.5 oz. pitted black olive

100 gr. / 3.5 oz. anchovies in salt

10 gr. / 0.4 oz. sugar

3 TBS olive oil

Method:

In a large saucepan warm 3 tablespoons of olive oil

Peel and cut in half the onions, then slice them in quarter inch slices

Peel and crush the garlic and cook in the olive oil with thyme and bay leaves and a pinch of salt for about 30 mins on a medium to low heat. The onions should not colour but they should be tender. Add the sugar and reserve

On a pastry sheet pan, make a shape that fits the pan you are using with the dough (round or rectangular as you like)

Bake in a hot oven at 200 degrees for 10 mins

Take it out of the oven and spread the onions on it

Rinse the anchovies and put them on and add the olives

Bake again for 30 to 40 mins until the crust is golden and crispy

Season with black pepper

Enjoy it warm or cold

Enjoy French cooking classes in Provence with Cook‘n With Class Uzès. A week-long course, with accommodation is €2,950 for a single person occupancy per week and €2,450 double occupancy per week.

Find out more about the Cook’n With Class Uzès cooking course here

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