Pissaladière, a specialty from Nice in the south of France, is a caramelized onion tart with anchovies and black olives on a thin pizza-like dough. It takes its name from the anchovy paste, or “pissala,” typically used to flavor the recipe. The dough is a bread dough slightly thicker than that of the classic pizza margherita.

Once cooked early in the morning and eaten for breakfast in the seaside city of Nice, it is now served as an appetizer everywhere in the south of France. Pissaladieres are a perfect combination of sweet, salty, chewy, and crispy. They are wonderful as an afternoon snack with wine, an appetizer, or even as a lunch or main course served with a nice salad.

Pissaladiere – Onion, Anchovy and Olive Flat Bread

This easily made classic tart has a bread-like crust that's covered in caramelized onions and studded with black olives and anchovies The anchovies are layered in a in a cross-hatch design with olives in the middle of each diamond. After baking, the anchovies' sharpness mellows out.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin

Course: Appetizer, Brunch, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: French, Mediterranean, Provence, Southeastern France

Prep Time: 35

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 50

Servings:

Author: My Hungry Traveler

Equipment

Three bowls
Large skillet

Ingredients

1 lb Store-bought pizza dough
2 oz. Can or jar of anchovies in olive oil
½ cup Milk
3 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
3 ½ lb Onion, peeled and sliced thin
10 count Black olives, pitted and halved Nicoise or Kalamata olives work best
6 stems Fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
1/2 tsp Salt

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Shape dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and put aside unrefrigerated. Soak anchovies in milk and put aside.
In a 12-inch skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Add sliced onions to the pan along with thyme and salt. Cook uncovered over low-low heat until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Stir often. Transfer caramelized onions to a bowl to cool.
Set oven rack to middle and preheat oven to 475° (245°C). On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough into a ½" thick rectangle, accuracy isn't important. Place flat dough on a lightly greased baking tray.
Leaving a one-inch border, spread onions over surface of the dough. Rinse soaked anchovies in water then make diamond design over onions. Place ½ olive in middle of anchovy diamond shapes.
Drizzle with remaining olive oil and bake until crust is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Lightly salt and serve right away.