pissaladiere

According to the recipe, this dish for Provencals is equivalent to pizza for New Yorkers. It carries similar toppings of tomatoes, onions, and olives for a simple vegetarian pizza, but the crust is buttery and flaky. Most of the components are definitely a do ahead if you wish to serve this warm for an appetizer and save time for the entree.

I oven dried the tomatoes with some minced garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil at 400 degrees for about half an hour so that the tomatoes slightly resemble sun dried. The onions should also be caramelized ahead of time, especially since it is a low and slow process. The puff pastry puffs up quite a bit, more so than I expected considering all the fork pricks, but the filling weighs it back down into a thinner crust leaving the sides like a little wall.

This was a savory little bite, with the anchovies coming through with a depth of flavor. The acidity of the tomatoes cuts through some of the sweetness of the onions and the buttery pastry. I would just suggest cutting the olives into quarters rather than halves, because they were a bit large even when compared to the tomatoes.

Pissaladiere

makes one puff pastry tart

3 garlic cloves, minced
2 large onions, sliced and cut into 1/4-inch-thick
1/2 tbsp fresh thyme, plus 4 sprigs for garnish
1/2 bay leaf
6 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
AP flour for dusting
1 sheet puff pastry, store bought and thawed
1 egg, lightly beaten for egg wash
10 cherry tomatoes, oven-dried
16 black olives, pitted and quartered
sea salt
pepper
olive oil

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Increase heat to medium-high and add onions, stirring every 5 minutes, until slightly golden, about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to low, add thyme and bay leaf. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until very soft and caramelized, 20 minutes. (Add a few tablespoons of water if pan sticks). Remove bay leaf and stir in anchovies. Season to taste.

Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out sheet of puff pastry to a 10 x 14-inch rectangle. Trim 1/2-inch-wide strips from each side. Brush edges of rectangle sheet with egg wash and place the trimmed strips along the edges to form a small wall. Prick the base of the dough all over with a fork. Brush egg wash all over. Chill dough in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. Bake until golden and fluffy, 10 to 15 minutes.

Scatter onions, tomatoes, olives, and sprigs of thyme on tart. Return to oven to warm. Cut tart into small squares and serve warm.