Pissaladière Splendide

Photo: Emily Heston

Ingredients

Dough

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup warm water (warm from tap)

1 teaspoon active yeast

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 egg

Toppings

5 tablespoons olive oil

5 onions (about 1-½ pounds, uniform diameter)

2 tablespoons brown sugar

3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

20 anchovy fillets (10 coarsely chopped, 10 cut in 1/2)

1 pound tomatoes, ripe but firm, uniform in diameter

1/2 cup nicoise olives

salt, pepper

25 Nicoise Olives

Preparation

Install a plastic blade in a food processor if available, if not, a metal blade will work.

Put flour, salt and yeast in food processor bowl and pulse 3 times to blend.

Crack egg into powder mixture, pulse twice to blend in.

Run food processor and slowly pour in warm water and one tablespoon of olive oil.

Continue running until dough forms a ball.

Remove dough from food processor and put on floured surface.

Flatten dough out with heels of hands until flat.

Fold dough over itself in thirds.

Flip over and pound ball down flat.

Repeat process 8 times.

Form dough into a ball.

Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil into a large mixing bowl.

Roll dough in oil until coated.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap on put in warm draft-free location to rise (this will take an hour -- dough should double in size).

The dough can also be put into the refrigerator and left to rise overnight (and can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days before using). Take the dough out of the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature before using.

Oven Roasted Tomatoes: Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Slice tomatoes to about 1/4 inch.

Salt slices and place on paper towels to draw moisture out of tomatoes.

Leave for about an hour.

Place tomatoes on cookie sheet.

Brush tomatoes with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of the thyme leaves.

Place in center rack of oven and roast for about 45 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Carmelized onions:

Slice onions about 1/4 inches thick.

Pour 3 tablespoons of olive oil in large nonstick frying pan.

Heat oil to medium high.

Spoon in sugar and distribute evenly in oil.

Place onions in a single layer in heated olive oil.

Cook until golden brown, about 10 minutes,

Gently flip onions and carmelize the other side.

This method is for whole slices of onions. An easier method is to coarsely chop the onions and stir in nonstick frying pan and allow to carmelize in the olive oil and sugar.

When dough has risen place ball on floured work surface, punch ball to remove air. Gently knead to flatten. Use the weight of the dough to stretch it out, holding the edge and then working around the circle. When well stretched out lie on floured surface again. Smooth with hands. Allow to rest/ rise for 10 - 15 minutes.

Brush dough with olive oil, sprinkle with the rest of the thyme leaves, coarsely chopped anchovies and fresh ground pepper.

Place oven roasted tomatoes on top of dough.

Using a spatula, place caramelized onions over tomatoes. Uniformly place anchovy halves on onions. Evenly distribute olives over top. (Warn guest of pits in Nicoise olives)

If possible, place pizza stone in oven to heat. Slide topped dough onto heated pizza stone or a cookie sheet.

Place in center rack of oven and bake for 25 minutes.

Pissilarde is also delicious made on the grill in the summer. Follow the same steps as above to the point of assembly.

Brush one side of formed dough with olive oil and lie it oil side down on a medium hot grill, brush the top with olive oil. After the bottom side is "marked", flip it over, and add the toppings as indicated above.

Cook until the bottom is a crispy, golden brown. Slide off grill using a cookie sheet or cutting board. Cut in squares and serve.