Pissaladière Provençal Pizza

An evening New Years snack that we really enjoyed! The onions are yummy and the anchovies the right amount of salty. The dough is flexible enough to serve as the base for any tasty focaccia. I'd try pesto, red onion and maybe some feta or pine nuts next.

I would note that the pizza is definitely more of a focaccia bread - the dough is delicious but not the stretchy glutinous thin crusts Pedro and I had been working on over the summer for the pizza oven. Totally worth effort though, and as I said, a very good base.

Ina garten never disappoints! From her book "Barefoot in Paris."

Pissaladière

Provençal Pizza

From the book Barefoot Contessa in Paris by Ina Garten

Serves	8 to 10
Yield	2 pizzas

Introduction

Many dishes from Provence take their inspiration from Italy, which is right next door. Pissladière is usually made in a large rectangle like a tart. It’s great with a salad and a glass of wine for a light summer lunch.

Ingredients

Topping

	½	cup good olive oil, plus extra for brushing
	4	lb. yellow onions, halved and sliced ¼-inch thick
	2	Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
	3	tsp. kosher salt
	1	tsp. freshly ground black pepper
	4	garlic cloves

Dough

	1¼	cups warm (100 to 110 degrees) water
	2	packages (about 4½ tsp.) active dry yeast
	1	Tbsp. honey
	3	Tbsp. good olive oil
	4	cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
	2	tsp. kosher salt
	~	Cornmeal, for baking

Garnishes

	2 to 3	doz. anchovy fillets
	2 to 3	doz. French black olives, preferably oil-cured, pitted

Steps

1. Make the topping: Heat the olive oil in a very large sauté pan (or two) 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.
2. Make the dough: Meanwhile, combine the water, yeast, honey, and olive oil for the dough 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 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.
3. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Divide the dough into 2 equal parts, rolling each one into a smooth ball. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. Roll the dough lightly with a rolling pin, then stretch it into a 10-by-15-inch rectangle and place it on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal.
4. Assemble and bake the pizzas: Spoon the onion topping onto the dough, leaving a ¾-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.

Notes

To make ahead, prepare the dough and the onion topping separately, then assemble and bake the pissaladière just before serving.

Culinate editor’s note: The dough recipe here is the same as in White Pizzas with Arugula, and each recipe makes enough dough for two pizzas. So if you like, enjoy the flavors of both pizzas by making one full batch of dough but two half-recipes for the toppings.

This content is from the book Barefoot Contessa in Paris by Ina Garten.