Pissaladiere Provencale Recipes

Steps:

• For topping:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Place butter on heavy large rimmed baking sheet; place in oven until butter melts, about 5 minutes. Spread half of onions on baking sheet; top with 3 thyme sprigs, 2 rosemary sprigs and 1 bay leaf. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons oil. Top with remaining onions, 3 thyme sprigs, 2 rosemary sprigs, and 1 bay leaf. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons oil (onion layer will be about 2 1/2 inches thick but will settle during baking). Bake until onions are very tender and golden, stirring and turning every 30 minutes, about 2 hours total. Cool. Discard herb sprigs and bay leaves. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature before using.)
• For crust:
• Pour 1 cup warm water into small bowl; sprinkle yeast and sugar over. Stir to blend. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
• Blend 2 3/4 cups flour and salt in processor. Add yeast mixture and 2 tablespoons oil; process until dough clumps together, adding more flour by tablespoonfuls if dough is sticky. Process until shiny ball forms, about 1 minute. Turn dough out onto floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Coat large bowl with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add dough to bowl; turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down dough; cover and let rise until puffed and almost doubled, about 1 hour.
• Sprinkle heavy 17x11x1-inch baking sheet with cornmeal. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 18x12-inch rectangle. Transfer to prepared baking sheet; press edges of dough up along sides and corners of sheet. Cover with dry kitchen towel; let rise until slightly puffed, 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 475°F. Spread onions over top of dough. Arrange anchovies and olives atop. Bake until crust is golden, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with thyme. Cut into 3-inch squares. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Can be made 4 hours ahead; let stand at room temperature.)

Steps:

• Make the filling: Finely chop 2 of the anchovy fillets. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, thyme and chopped anchovy, then cover pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, stir in salt, and continue cooking for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. The onions should be pale golden and very soft; lower the heat if they start to turn dark brown at the edges or stick to the skillet. Use your judgment on timing: Look to the color of the onions to tell you when they're done. Remove from heat and cool completely before using.
• Meanwhile, make the dough: In a medium bowl, sprinkle dry yeast over warm water. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes, then add oil. In a large bowl, whisk together flour and salt, then stir in yeast mixture with a wooden spoon until combined. Turn bowl's contents out onto a floured surface and knead until uniform and elastic, 3 to 5 minutes. (Flour your hands if necessary to keep dough from sticking.) Transfer dough to an oiled bowl, flip the dough over, cover bowl with a damp cloth and let rest in a draft-free place for 1 hour.
• Lightly oil an 11x17-inch rimmed baking sheet. Working on a floured surface, roll dough into an 11x16-inch rectangle, then transfer it to the oiled baking sheet and press the dough to the sides. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest for 30 minutes.
• Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread cooked onions evenly over dough, and top with remaining anchovies and olives. Bake until edges and underside are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Steps:

• In workbowl of food processor fitted with plastic dough blade (can use metal blade if necessary), pulse flour, yeast, and salt to combine, about five 1 second pulses. With machine running, slowly add oil, then water, through feed tube; continue to process until dough forms ball, about 15 seconds.
• Generously dust work surface with flour. Using floured hands, transfer dough to work surface and knead lightly, shaping dough into ball.
• Lightly oil 1 quart measuring cup or small bowl, place dough in measuring cup, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and set aside in draft-free spot until doubled in volume, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• While dough is rising, heat oil in 12 inch nonstick skillet over high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Stir in onions, garlic, salt, and brown sugar and cook, stirring frequently, until moisture released by onions has evaporated and onions begin to brown, about 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently. After 15 minutes, remove garlic cloves, mince them and then return them to the pan, along with the balsamic vinegar. Stir and continue cooking for 5 more minutes, until onions have softened and are medium to golden brown. Off heat, stir in water; transfer to bowl and set aside.
• When dough has doubled, adjust oven rack to lowest position, set baking stone on rack, and heat oven to 500°F.
• Remove dough from measuring cup and divide into 2 equal pieces using dough scraper. Working with one piece at a time, form each piece into rough ball by gently pulling edges of dough together and pinching to seal. With floured hands, turn dough ball seam-side down. Cupping dough with both hands, gently push dough in circular motion to form taut ball. Repeat with second piece.
• Brush each lightly with oil, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut two 20 inch lengths parchment paper and set aside.
• Coat fingers and palms of hands generously with oil. Using dough scraper, loosen 1 piece of dough from work surface. With well-oiled hands, hold dough aloft and gently stretch to 12-inch length (like a very large breadstick). Place on parchment sheet and gently dimple surface of dough with fingertips. Using oiled palms, push and flatten dough into 14x8 inch oval.
• Brush dough with oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Leaving 1/2 inch border around edge, sprinkle 1/4 cup olives, 1 tablespoon chopped anchovies, and 1 teaspoon thyme evenly over dough, then evenly scatter with half of onions. Sprinkle with fennel seeds and marjoram, if using.
• Slip parchment with tart onto pizza peel (or inverted rimless baking sheet), then slide onto hot baking stone. Bake until deep golden brown, 13 to 15 minutes. While first tart bakes, shape and top second tart.
• Remove tart from oven with peel or pull parchment onto baking sheet; transfer tart to cutting board and slide parchment out from under tart. Cool 5 minutes; sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons parsley, if using. Cut tart in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise to form 8 pieces; serve immediately. While first tart cools, bake second tart.

Steps:

• For the topping, heat the olive oil in a very large saute pan and cook the onions, thyme, salt, pepper, and garlic over low heat for 45 minutes, until the onions are sweet and cooked but not browned. Toss the onions from time to time. After 30 minutes, take out the garlic, chop it roughly, and add it back to the onions.
• Meanwhile, for the dough, combine the water, yeast, honey, and olive oil in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. (If the bowl is cold, start with warmer water so it's at least 100 degrees F when you add the yeast.) Add 3 cups of the flour, then the salt, and mix on medium-low speed. While mixing, add 1 more cup of flour, or just enough to make a soft dough. Mix the dough on medium-low speed for about 10 minutes, until smooth, sprinkling it with flour to keep it from sticking to the bowl. When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a floured board and knead it by hand a dozen times. It should be smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and turn it to cover lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel. Allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Divide the dough into 2 equal parts, rolling each 1 into a smooth ball. If you're only making 1 pissaladiere, place 1 ball on a baking sheet and cover it loosely with a damp towel. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. (If you're not using the other dough, wrap it well and refrigerate or freeze it for the next time.) Roll the dough lightly with a rolling pin, then stretch it to a 10 by 15-inch rectangle and place it on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal.
• Spoon the onion topping onto the dough, leaving a 3/4-inch border all around. Artfully arrange the anchovies and olives on top, brush the edge of the dough with olive oil, and bake for 15 minutes, or until the crust is crisp. Serve hot on a cutting board.

Steps:

• Electric mixer method: In a large mixing bowl, sprinkle yeast over water with the sugar.
• Let proof and soften for about 5 minutes.
• With paddle attachment, add oil, and stir to blend.
• Add 1 cup flour and stir until smooth.
• With dough hook attachment, add remaining 3/4 cup flour and salt and knead until silky smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
• Food processor method: Place flour and salt in food processor bowl; process briefly just to blend.
• Combine oil and yeast mixture, pour down feed tube and process just until mixture is a lumpy mass.
• Place this mixture on a lightly floured work surface and knead sticky dough for about 5 minutes until satiny and smooth.
• Knead in no more than three tablespoons additional flour.
• Place dough in large bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place away from drafts until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
• While dough is rising, prepare the filling.
• Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet and over medium-low heat sauté the onions, garlic and salt until soft and transparent, about 10 to 15 minutes.
• Throughout the cooking time, always stir occasionally to prevent onions from browning or scorching.
• Add the water and thyme, and over high heat cook until the water evaporates.
• Over low heat, continue sautéing about 20 minutes longer, until onion mixture is similar to a paste (yield at this time is 3 cups).
• Remove sprig of thyme.
• Set aside to cool.
• Adjust the rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Rub 1 tablespoon olive oil over the bottom of a 10 x 15 jelly roll pan or a 12-inch pizza pan.
• Punch dough down.
• With fingertips, press and stretch the dough to fit the pan.
• If the dough becomes elastic, rest a couple of minutes, then press again.
• Cover dough loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 30 minutes or until puffy.
• Spread the onion filling evenly over the dough to the edges.
• Sprinkle Parmesan over filling.
• Arrange the anchovy fillets, lattice-fashion, over the filling and dot the olives over the surface.
• Keep the design close together so that when cut, each portion will include an olive and some anchovy.
• Bake for about 30 minutes or until edge of crust is light gold.
• Sprinkle freshly ground pepper over top.
• Cut rectangles, squares or wedges while warm or at room temperature.
• Notes: For an extra crisp crust, spread filling over dough, and rather than allow time for the dough to rise and become puffy, bake it right away.
• For a more bread-like crust, let dough rise in baking pan until puffy, then spread filling on top and bake.
• If anchovy fillets taste too salty, rinse them in cold water and dry thoroughly with paper towels.

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in 1 cup of very warm water in a large bowl. Add 1 teaspoon salt, pepper to taste and 1 tablespoon oil. Stir in 2 1/2 cups flour, half a cup at a time. Begin kneading dough in bowl, adding more flour to make it soft and not too sticky. Knead about 5 minutes. Cover, and set aside to rise 1 hour.
• Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large skillet. Add onions, 1 teaspoon salt, bay leaf, herbes de Provence and pepper to taste. Cook over low heat until onions start to soften; cover, and cook about 45 minutes, until very soft but not colored. Uncover, remove bay leaf and increase heat briefly to cook off excess liquid.
• Heat oven to 475 degrees. Punch dough down. Roll, and stretch to fit a pizza pan or jellyroll pan greased with remaining oil. Spread with onions. Arrange olives, anchovies and peppers in pattern on top. Bake 20 minutes, cut in squares or wedges and serve.