Onion Pizza
The most exciting pissaladière I ever had was served at the open-air market in the heart of old Nice. It was baked in a wood-burning oven a few blocks away, sent to the market by bicycle, and eaten standing up or at picnic tables shaded by huge awnings. The wedges were gently sweet and intensely salty; the crust, just a half inch thick, was perfumed with the local olive oil and was perfectly browned and crisp. It was so simple—mostly just sweet onions on a wonderful crust.
- ½ recipe Pizza DoughÂ
- Flour as needed
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- 1½ pounds onions, about 3 large or 4 or 5 medium, thinly sliced
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried
- 6 to 10 anchovies, optional
- About 12 Niçoise or other good-quality black olives, pitted and cut in half, optional
- 6 to 8 thin slices tomato, optional
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 450°F, with a pizza stone in place if you have one. Knead the dough lightly and place it on a lightly floured surface; sprinkle it with a little more flour and cover it with plastic wrap or a towel. Let it rest while the oven heats and you cook the onions.
- Put the olive oil in a large skillet over mediumhigh heat and add the onions and some salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions give up their liquid and become quite soft, at least 15 minutes; do not allow them to brown. When they are cooked, turn off the heat and stir in the thyme.
- Pat or roll out the dough as thinly as possible, to a diameter of about 12 inches, using more flour or oil as necessary. The process will be easier if you let the dough rest between rollings. If you have a pizza stone in your oven, place the dough on a floured peel or long-handled board; if not, lay the dough on a baking sheet brushed lightly with olive oil. Let the dough rest for 15 to 30 minutes, or until it begins to puff ever so slightly.
- Spread the dough with onions and then decorate, if you like, with anchovies, olives, and tomato. Bake until nicely crisp, 15 minutes or more; if the tart is browning unevenly, rotate it back to front about halfway through the cooking time. Serve hot or at room temperature.