Pissaladiere

The curry is cooling so I've got time to post our meal for tonight.  It's a classic French dish that is a bit like Marmite, you either love it or hate it and I'm disappointed that I didn't have any whilst on holiday.  We'll make up for it tonight and I'll throw in a dressed bowl of salad from the garden. 

Thanks to Nigel Slater for this recipe from a few years ago that I found in a newspaper.  

Method

Peel three large onions, slice them, and let them cook in a deep pan with a little oil or butter until they are sweet, pale amber in colour and soft enough to crush between thumb and finger. This will take a good 20 minutes over a low heat, with a frequent stir. Take 375g of puff pastry and place it on a lightly floured baking sheet. Score a border, approximately 2cm in from the edges, with a sharp knife, making sure not to cut right through the pastry. Spread the softened onions over the pastry. Place a good jar of anchovies, maybe more, over the surface, in a lattice effect. Place a small black olive at the centre of each diamond shape. Bake for 20-30 minutes at 180-200C/gas mark 4-6 until the pastry is risen and deep gold.

The trick

The onions need a long, slow cooking. Keep the heat down and cook for a good 20 minutes until they have softened. You should be able to crush them between your finger and thumb. If you use salted anchovies, drain them before adding to the onions.

A twist

A little thyme in with the onions is a good thing. Add a few sun-dried tomatoes to the top, along with the olives. Use red onions instead of the classic white. Add a little garlic to the onions as they cook. Make mini versions, just the right size for a lunchbox. Use a classic shortcrust or filo instead of puff pastry. Add basil leaves to the onions.