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The starter, Mediterranean

Pissaladière with anchovies

Pissaladière with anchovies is a Niçoise bread-dough tart topped with slow-cooked onions, anchovies, and black olives, serving 6. It takes 40 minutes of active work spread over the morning, rates easy, and costs €1.90 per serving. The key to success is cooking the onions low and slow for about an hour without letting them brown.

Next stop Nice, with a warm pissaladière, melting onions and salty anchovies, everyone's going to want seconds.

Pissaladière with anchovies
For
6 people
Work
40 min
Total time
2 h 20
Prep
Prepared the same day
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€1.90
Calories per person
380 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

Pissaladière is all about onions turned sweet and meltingly soft after a long, gentle cook, piled onto a soft bread base and sharpened with salty anchovies and black olives. Unlike pizza, there's no tomato here, just that confited topping that gives this Niçoise classic its character. Serve it warm, never piping hot, so the flavors come through fully.

It makes a great starter for a summer dinner party, cut into small squares for drinks or served as a proper first course before a fish main or a composed salad. It also works well in winter as part of a Mediterranean menu, paired with a vegetable soup. Since it comes together in the morning for the evening, it frees up your time for the rest of the meal.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before Nothing to do
  2. The same day 3 steps, 1 h 45
  3. Before the guests arrive 1 step, 25 min
  4. When it's time to serve 1 step, 5 min

Make the confited onions and the dough in the morning, each takes about an hour but needs little hands-on attention. Assemble the raw pissaladière as soon as the onions have cooled, then bake it just before your guests arrive so it comes out of the oven right as they walk in. Let it cool a few minutes before cutting into generous slices and serving.

The ingredients

6 people

Pantry

  • Flouroften in the pantry 300 g
  • Active dry yeastoften in the pantry 1
  • Warm wateroften in the pantry 18 cl
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 6 tbsp
  • Anchovy fillets in oil 100 g
  • Black olives 100 g
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Yellow onions 1.2 kg
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Thyme 4 sprigs

Allergens Gluten, Fish

The recipe, moment by moment

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Thinly slice the onions and cook them slowly in 3 tablespoons of oil with the garlic, thyme, and salt, stirring often. 45 min

    Cover the pan for the first ten minutes, the steam softens the onions so they don't brown.

  2. Knead the flour, yeast, warm water, 2 tablespoons of oil, and a pinch of salt, then let it rise under a towel. 1 h

    Set the bowl near a gentle heat source, a turned off oven with just the light on works great.

  3. Roll the dough into a rectangle on an oiled baking sheet, spread the cooled onions over it, arrange the anchovies in a crisscross pattern, and tuck an olive into each diamond.

    Drain the anchovies on paper towels so they don't make the dough soggy.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Bake at 210°C until the edges turn golden. 25 min

    Place the baking sheet on the bottom rack, the base will cook through without the onions burning.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Let it cool for a few minutes, then cut into generous slices. 5 min

    A bread knife or a sharp pizza wheel keeps the topping from getting crushed.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick firm yellow onions and slice them into even strips, that's what guarantees an even cook with no burnt pieces next to raw ones.
  • Drain the anchovies well and pat them dry on paper towels before arranging them, otherwise their oil will soak into the dough during baking.
  • Let the onions cool completely before spreading them on the raw dough, warm onions would make the dough rise unevenly in the oven.

The variations

  • Swap the anchovies for sun-dried tomatoes and capers for a vegetarian version that's just as flavorful.
  • Use store-bought pizza dough if you're short on time, the result still works even if the crumb is a bit less soft.
  • For a milder version kids will eat, swap the anchovies for strips of roasted red pepper and keep just a few olives.

What to serve it with

  • A well-chilled Provence rosé
  • An arugula salad with lemon
  • Extra olives and sun-dried tomatoes

Storage

It keeps for 2 days in the fridge in an airtight container. It doesn't freeze well, the dough turns spongy once thawed. Reheat it in the oven for a few minutes rather than the microwave so it crisps back up.

Questions about this recipe

Can you use canned anchovies instead of fresh ones?

Yes, oil-packed anchovy fillets from a jar or can are exactly what's traditionally used for pissaladière. Avoid vinegar-marinated anchovies, their flavor is too different for this dish.

How do you know when the onions are confited enough?

They should be translucent, very soft, and lightly golden, never browned or crispy. If you can easily mash them with a spatula, that's the sign to stop cooking.

Can you make pissaladière with puff pastry?

It's not the traditional recipe, which uses bread dough, but puff pastry gives a crispier result and is faster to prepare. The flavor stays close, only the texture changes.

How do you slice pissaladière without wrecking the topping?

Use a sharp bread knife or a pizza wheel, cutting with one clean motion instead of sawing back and forth. Avoid pressing too hard on the olives and anchovies so they stay in place.

Can a pissaladière with anchovies be made ahead?

Yes, during the day. The recipe needs 40 min of work in total, split up like this, the same day, 3 steps, before the guests arrive, 1 step, when it's time to serve, 1 step.

How long does it take to make a pissaladière with anchovies?

Allow 2 h 20 in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 40 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "easy".

How many calories are in a pissaladière with anchovies?

About 380 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a pissaladière with anchovies cost?

About €1.90 per person, that's €11.40 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, fish. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

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