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pissalagare

Nifcon@aol.com
Mon, 16 Jul 2001 18:12:03 EDT
v101.n036.1
The "pizza" is pissaladiere (should be an acute accent on the first "e") - 
an old Provencal recipe according to Elizabeth David who mentions and gives 
a recipe for it in her "French Provincial Cooking" . The scanned recipe 
follows, any errors are mine not Ms David's. I have not tried this recipe 
but Ms David is usually reliable and authentic.

PISSALADIERE - PROVENCAL ONION PIE

The pissaladiere is a substantial dish of bread dough spread with onions, 
anchovies, black olives and sometimes tomatoes, baked in the oven on large 
heavy baking trays, and sold by the slice in bakers' shops or straight from 
the baking trays by street vendors. It is not so common nowadays as it was 
before the war, when it could be bought hot from the oven in the early 
morning at every street corner in the old quarters of Marseille and Toulon. 
Not so long ago, however, having spotted some in a bakery in Avignon, I 
went in and asked for `une tranche de Pissaladiere.' The shopkeeper did not 
know what I meant. `What, then, is that?' I asked. `Ca, Madame, c'est du 
Pizza Provencal,' was the surprising reply. Odd how that Neapolitan pizza 
has captured people's imaginations, even in Provence, where they have their 
own traditional version of it, the great difference being that the 
Provencal variety is made without the top dressing of chewy cheese 
characteristic of the Neapolitan pizza. In fact, the Provencal one more 
nearly resembles the traditional Roman pizza, and it is, I suppose, 
possible that it was introduced by Roman cooks during the reign of the 
Popes in Avignon.

Truthfully it must be admitted that both the Italian pizza and the 
Provencal pissaladiere lie somewhat heavy upon the stomach, because of the 
bread dough which is the basis. The version made with pastry which is 
sometimes served in restaurants and private houses and may be bought ready 
made at patisseries is often an improvement. It is the filling which, if 
you happen to like the aromatic mixture of onions, olive oil, anchovies and 
olives, is important. The following recipe makes a splendid first course at 
luncheon, so long as it is followed by something not too substantial-a fine 
grilled fish, for instance, or a little best end of neck of lamb nicely 
roasted.

PISSALADIERE A LA MENAGERE - PROVENCAL ONION PIE WITH YEAST PASTRY

5 oz plain flour
1 1/2 oz butter
1 egg
1/2 oz yeast
salt
a little water

Cut the butter in little pieces and rub it into the flour. Add a good pinch 
of salt. Make a well in the centre; put in the egg and the yeast dissolved 
in about 2 tablespoons of barely tepid water. Mix and knead until the dough 
comes away clean from the sides of the bowl. Shape into a ball, make a deep 
cross-cut on the top, put on a floured plate, cover with a floured cloth 
and leave in a warm place to rise for 2 hours.

For the filling:
1 1/4 lb onions
2 tomatoes
dozen anchovy fillets
dozen small, stoned black olives
pepper
salt
olive oil

Heat 3 or 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy frying pan. Put in the 
thinly sliced onions and cook them very gently, with the cover on the pan, 
until they are quite soft and pale golden. They must not fry or turn brown. 
Add the skinned tomatoes and the seasonings (plus garlic if you like). 
Continue cooking until tomatoes and onions are amalgamated, and the water 
from the tomatoes evaporated.

When the dough has risen, sprinkle it with flour and break it down again. 
Knead once more into a ball, which you place in the centre of an oiled, 
8-inch tart tin. With your knuckles press it gently but quickly outwards 
until it is spread right over the tin and all round the sides. Put in the 
filling. Make a criss-cross pattern all over the top with the anchovies, 
then fill in with the olives. Leave to rise another 15 minutes. Then bake 
in the centre of a pre-heated oven, with the tin standing on a baking 
sheet, at 400 F, Gas No. 6, for 20 minutes, then turn down to 350 F, Gas 
No. 4, and cook another 20 minutes.

John Wright