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