Pissaladiere Nicoise

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Pissaladiere Nicoise is a traditional recipe from the South of France, sold in many bakeries as a starter or snack. It is a pizza base topped by Mediterranean caramelized onions, anchovies and olives.

What is a Pissaladiere Nicoise

The name Pissaladiere comes from Latin and means salty fish, the anchovies are definitely the main ingredients. They are typical ingredients you find in many recipes originated in Nice, Nicoise.

The anchovies filets are arranged over the Pissaladiere to make with the olives geometric patterns for decoration. These geometric patterns are a distinctive characteristic of any Pissaladiere, whether round or squared as sold in shops.

It can be eaten warm or at room temperature, perfect to serve on buffet tables or eat as a snack. If I am making Pissaladiere for a buffet I make them into small pizzette bite. They are easier to pick up without getting your hands dirty.

Making Pizza dough

I usually make the pizza dough in the bread machine as it is easier, but you can find a detailed recipe on how to make pizza dough without the bread machine in here .

If you have a bread machine, pour the ingredients into the machine and set the program for fresh dough.

For best result, let the dough rest in the fridge overnight, well-floured and wrapped in a plastic bag, so it does not crawl all over the fridge.

Peeling onions without crying

To make the Pissaladiere you need to peel a lot of onions and crying becomes unavoidable.

However, I have a few tricks that work, making your tears more bearable:

1. Peel the onions in front of an open window
2. When you clean the onion, leave the top as it is till the very end. It is only when you slice the top of the onion that you will start tearing.

Preparing the onion for the topping

1. Peel the onions and cut them very finely
2. Wash, clean and debone the anchovies filet. Leaves some anchovies aside for the topping decoration.
3. In a large frying pan fry the garlic cloves crushed and the anchovy’s filets. The anchovies will melt into a cream.
4. Put in the onion and stir-fry over medium heat until they become translucent.
5. Then lower the heat and simmer for a good 30 minutes. Add water if too dry.
6. Normally you should not need to add any salt as the anchovies are already very salty.

Making Pissaladiere pizzette

1. Roll the dough flat and cut it into small circles
2. Let them rest a few minutes while the oven heats up at 200 C. If you have a pizza stone put it in the oven so they will be hot.
3. Put the circles on the pizza stone and put a spoon of the onion mix and half olive with a small piece of anchovies. I made some with only the onions to add some variety.
4. Cook for 10 minutes and continue with the rest of the batch. They can be served at room temperature but it is best to eat them the same day.

Making the large Pissaladiere

1. Roll the dough and lay it on the hot pizza stone
2. Top it with caramelized onions, anchovies filets and unpitted olives
3. Cook in a hot oven at 200C / 400 F for 10 minutes
4. Cut and serve warm as well as a room temperature

Tips for making the best Pissaladiere Nicoise

• For best result, let the dough rest in the fridge overnight, well-floured and wrapped in a plastic bag, so it does not crawl all over the fridge.
• Always buy anchovies stored in salt, they have more taste. The one stored in oil, you never know what oil has been used.
• To peel the onions:
  • Peel the onions in front of an open window
  • When you clean the onion, leave the top as it is till the very end. It is only when you slice the top of the onion that you will start tearing.
• Normally you should not need to add any salt to the onions as the anchovies are already very salty.
• When caramelizing the onions keep the heat very low and check if the onions get too dry add some water
• Pissaladiere can be served at room temperature but it is best to eat them the same day.

More onion recipes

If you like onions, here are some recipes you should definitely try:

Red onion relish

The red onion relish is the perfect complement with Burgers, Barbecued Beef, Matured Cheese.

Check out this recipe

Chelsea Market Heidi Pie

This is not their original recipe, but my interpretation of the UK Pieminister Heidi Pie using the same ingredients. Since I am usually making those pies for our picnics, I make 4 small pies but it can also be done in a standard pie tin. #yourguardianchef #pierecipes #vegetarianrecipes

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Beef Sausage Hand Pie Recipe

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Pissaladiere Nicoise

Pissaladiere is a traditional recipe from the South of France, sold in many bakeries as a starter or snack. It is a pizza base topped by Mediterranean caramelized onions, anchovies and olives. It can be served warm or at room temperature. #yourguardianchef #frenchfood #pizza

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings: 50 bites

Print Pin Rate

Author: Laura Tobin

Ingredients

Dough

• 1 cup fresh water
• 3 1/2 cup flour
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 tsp salt & pepper
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1 package yeast

Topping

• 10 onion
• 1 cup anchovies stored in salt
• 1/2 cup pitted black olives
• 3 cloves peeled garlic cloves
• olive oil

US Customary - Metric

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Instructions

Making the dough

• Pour the ingredients into the machine and set the program for fresh dough, number 13 on the Kenwood. NB: when using the bread machine the ingredients should be placed in the exact order as listed above, liquids first.
  
• For best result, let the dough rest in the fridge overnight, well-floured and wrapped in a plastic bag, so it does not crawl all over the fridge.
  

Preparing the onion for the topping

• Peel the onions and cut them very finely
• Wash, clean and debone the anchovies filet. Leaves some anchovies aside for the topping decoration.
• In a large frying pan fry the garlic cloves crushed and the anchovy’s filets. The anchovies will melt into a cream.
• Put in the onion and stir-fry over medium heat until they become translucent. 
• Then lower the heat and simmer for a good 30 minutes. Add water if too dry. 
• Normally you should not need to add any salt as the anchovies are already very salty.

To make Pissaladiere pizzette

• Roll the dough flat and cut it into small circles
• Let them rest a few minutes while the oven heats up at 200 C. If you have a pizza stone put it in the oven so they will be hot.
• Put the circles on the pizza stone and put a spoon of the onion mix and half olive with a small piece of anchovies. I made some with only the onions to add some variety.
• Cook for 10 minutes and continue with the rest of the batch. They can be served at room temperature but it is best to eat them the same day.

For the large Pissaladiere

• Roll the dough and lay it on the hot pizza stone
• Top it with caramelized onions, anchovies filets and unpitted olives
• Cook in a hot oven at 200C / 400 F for 10 minutes
• Cut and serve warm as well as a room temperature

Video

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Notes

• For best result, let the dough rest in the fridge overnight, well-floured and wrapped in a plastic bag, so it does not crawl all over the fridge.
• Always buy anchovies stored in salt, they have more taste. The one stored in oil, you never know what oil has been used.
• To peel the onions:
  • Peel the onions in front of an open window
  • When you clean the onion, leave the top as it is till the very end. It is only when you slice the top of the onion that you will start tearing.
• Normally you should not need to add any salt to the onions as the anchovies are already very salty.
• When caramelizing the onions keep the heat very low and check if the onions get too dry add some water
• Pissaladiere can be served at room temperature but it is best to eat them the same day.

Nutrition

Calories: 46kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Sodium: 174mg | Potassium: 42mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 1.7mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.5mg

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