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–+ servings

Pissaladière Niçoise

Appetizers & Snacks, Dinner, Snack
Pissaladière is a caramelised onion and anchovy tart hailing from Nice. With its golden dough, sweet slow-cooked onions, savoury anchovies, and briny black olives, this rustic yet elegant dish captures the flavours of the French Riviera.
Pissaladière recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients 

For the dough
For the topping

Equipment

Instructions

  1. 1. Prepare the dough
    Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water and let it rest for 5-10 minutes until it becomes bubbly and foamy. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt, then add the activated yeast mixture and olive oil. Mix with your hands or a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms, then knead on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes until the dough is silky and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it, and leave it to prove in a warm spot for about 1 hour or until it has doubled in size. This slow rise will develop a soft, pliant dough that springs back when poked, providing the perfect base for your pissaladière.
    Short on time? Honestly, just grab a good-quality ready-made bread or even pizza dough. The kitchen police won’t come knocking.
  2. 2. Caramelise the onions
    While the dough rises, heat the olive oil over low heat in a large frying pan. Add your sliced onions, whole garlic cloves, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and Herbes de Provence. Season with pepper but go easy on the salt as the anchovies will bring plenty later. Cook very gently for at least 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring now and then. The onions should collapse into a soft, golden tangle, rich and creamy with just a hint of bite left. If in doubt, lower the heat and let the aromatics do their slow magic. Remove the garlic, thyme and bay when done.
  3. 3. Shape and prove the dough
    Once the dough has risen, knock it back and roll it into a rectangle about 30x40cm. Lay on a greased baking tray or parchment. Leave it to rest, covered with a damp tea towel, for 20 minutes while you get your toppings ready. This extra pause gives your crust that lovely, slightly pillowy feel.
  4. 4. Assemble
    Spread the caramelised onions evenly over the dough right up to the edges. Lay the anchovy fillets in a traditional lattice or diamond pattern over the onions, and set an olive in each diamond shape of anchovy. If you’re feeling whimsical, go as artistic as you like, but tradition is simple and geometric.The anchovies’ salty tang plays perfectly off the sweet onions.
  5. 5. Bake
    Bake in a preheated oven at 210°C (fan 190°C) for about 20 minutes, until the edges of the tart are golden and crisp. If you can, let it cool to just above room temperature before slicing. It’s a tart made for sharing, ideally with friends, sunshine, and a carafe of something pink and cold.

Notes

  • If you find anchovy fillets too intense, you can rinse and dry them, or use fewer. Some locals swear by a dot of anchovy paste spread thinly over the dough before the onions go on, for deeper umami. Pissaladière keeps well, and is delicious at room temperature, an excellent make-ahead for picnics or parties.
  • Pissaladière keeps beautifully, and is often eaten cold, a blessing if you’re prepping ahead for a summer gathering or a lazy British bank holiday.