Pissaladière (Provençal Onion and Anchovy Tart)

A Provençal tart of slowly cooked sweet onions on a thin crisp base, topped with anchovies and black olives.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 30 min
Cook: 1h 5m
Total: 1 hour 35 minutes
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
❌
Serves
6 people
Difficulty
Easy

Ingredients

  • 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 1kg onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 320g ready-rolled puff pastry
  • 12 anchovy fillets in oil, drained
  • 16 black olives, pitted
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, to serve

Method

  1. Heat 3 tbsp of the olive oil in a large pan over a low heat. Add the onions, garlic, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, sugar and a pinch of salt, cover and cook for 20 minutes.

  2. Remove the lid and cook for 30 minutes more, stirring often, until the onions are jammy and deep golden. Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf and season with pepper.

  3. Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan) and put a large baking tray inside to heat.

  4. Unroll the pastry onto a sheet of baking paper and score a 2cm border around the edge, being careful not to cut right through. Prick the middle with a fork.

  5. Spread the onions over the middle of the pastry. Arrange the anchovies in a diamond pattern on top and place an olive in each diamond. Brush the border with the remaining olive oil.

  6. Slide the paper onto the hot tray and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden. Scatter with thyme leaves, cut into squares and serve warm.