Pissaladiere (Provencal Pizza)

I just love Ina Garten.  Long before I started this blog, I would watch her on Food Network.  This recipes is from her book, Barefoot in Paris.

It's a wonderfully different pizza that comes from southern France.  It's believed to have been introduced to the area by Roman cooks during the time of the Avignon Papacy (when seven Popes resided in Avignon -  modern-day France) which was between 1305 and 1377.  This is considered a white pizza as no tomatoes are used.  It's nice and light and Ina suggests serving it for lunch with a salad and a glass of wine.  I like the glass of wine part.  Maybe two glasses of wine.  Heck, just leave the bottle.  And don't leave off the anchovies as they make the pizza.  If you haven't had anchovies before, they're really not as bad as you think, I promise.  I always thought I didn't like them but I quite like them now.  There's also no cheese on this pizza.  Just olive oil, onions, fresh thyme, garlic, anchovy fillets and black olives.  I really loved the contrast between the salty anchovies and the sweet onions.

It was fun eating a pizza that was so unlike typical pizza although I know you anchovy haters are totally grossed out.  You need to suck it up.  Anchovies are good!  Trust me!  The dough makes enough for two pizzas but the topping is for one so either double the topping or freeze one of the doughs.  This was lunch for just Joe and I so I only made one (and there were still leftovers), but I'll be using that dough in the freezer soon.

If you want a delicious light lunch or supper and want a change from your normal pizza, I highly recomend this recipe.  With a glass of French wine you can pretend you're in France.  Unless of course you are in France, and if you are, lucky you.

Enjoy!

Pissaladiere (Provencal Pizza)
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Topping

1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra for brushing
2 lb. yellow onions, halved and sliced ¼-inch thick
1 T fresh thyme leaves
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves

Dough

1 1/4 cups warm (100 to 110 degrees) water
2 packages (about 4½ tsp.) active dry yeast
1 T honey
3 T olive oil
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
2 tsp. kosher salt

To assemble each pissaladiere

Cornmeal, for baking
12 to 18 anchovy fillets
12 French black olives, preferably oil-cured, pitted

For the topping, heat the olive oil in a very large sauté 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 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. Divide the dough into 2 equal parts, rolling each one into a smooth ball. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. Roll the dough lightly with a rolling pin, then stretch it into a 10-by-15-inch rectangle and place it on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal.

Assemble and bake the pizzas: Spoon the onion topping onto the dough, leaving a ¾-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.

NOTE:  The topping is for one pizza but the dough makes two so either freeze one of the doughs or double the topping ingredients.

Source:  Barefoot in Paris by Ina Garten