Pissaladière

Ingredients:

Topping (for 1 pissaladière)

• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra for greasing
• 0.9 kg onion, cut into half rings 0.5 cm thick.
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1.5 tsp coarse salt
• 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 whole cloves of garlic

Dough (for one pissaladière)

• 1 and 1/4 cups warm water (40°C -43°C)
• 2 packets of dry yeast
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 3 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 4 cups flour + extra for work
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt

The decoration of each pissaladière

• 12 - 18 anchovy fillets
• 12 black French olives, preferably in oil, pitted
• Corn flour, for baking

Preparation:

1. To prepare the toppingHeat olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the onion with thyme, salt, black pepper, and garlic over low heat for 45 minutes, until the onion is sweet and soft but not browned. Stir occasionally. After 30 minutes, remove the garlic, coarsely chop it, and return it to the skillet.
2. Meanwhile, make the dough. Combine the water, yeast, honey, and olive oil in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. If the bowl is cold, add warmer water so it's at least 110°F (43°C) when you add the yeast. Add 3 cups of flour, then the salt, and mix on medium-low speed. Without stopping the mixer, add another 1 cup of flour, or enough to form a soft dough.
3. Knead the dough on medium-low speed for about 10 minutes, dusting it with flour to prevent it from sticking to the bowl. When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a floured board and knead it by hand about 10 times. It should be smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and turn it over to coat the entire surface with olive oil. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel. Let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 230°C.
5. Divide the dough into 2 equal parts, rolling each into a smooth ball. If you're making only 1 pissaladière, place 1 ball of dough on a baking sheet and cover it loosely with a damp towel. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Wrap the other half of the dough and refrigerate or freeze. Lightly flatten the dough with a rolling pin, then stretch it to form a 25 x 30 cm rectangle and place it on a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal.
6. Spread the onion topping over the dough, leaving a 2 cm border. Arrange the anchovies and olives in a pretty pattern, brush the edges of the dough with olive oil, and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve the pissaladière hot on a cutting board.