Authentic Pissaladière (French Onion
Anchovy Flatbread)

Transport yourself to the South of France with this classic Pissaladière. Featuring sweet caramelized onions, briny anchovies, and black olives over a crisp flatbread base.

Ingredients

• 2 large white onions
• 2 tbsp olive oil (plus extra for brushing)
• 1 handful fresh thyme sprigs
• 8 fillets oil-packed anchovies
• 4 fillets canned sardines, deboned
• 1 batch prepared pizza dough
• 12–16 fillets whole anchovies, for topping
• 15–20 whole black olives, pitted
• to taste salt

Instructions

1. 1Slice the onions

   

   Peel the white onions and use a sharp chefs knife to slice them thinly. Keep the slices uniform so they cook down evenly and melt into the right consistency.

   Tip: A sharp knife reduces the amount of onion juice released, which helps prevent your eyes from tearing up.
2. 2Heat the olive oil

   

   Place a pot, such as a heavy-bottomed copper pot, on the stove over medium heat. Add two tablespoons of olive oil and let it warm up gently.

   Tip: Using a good quality olive oil provides the authentic Mediterranean flavor base essential for this dish.
3. 3Add the onions

   

   Once the olive oil is heated, add all of your thinly sliced onions into the pot. You want to start sweating them down without browning them too quickly.

   Tip: If the pot sizzles aggressively when you add the onions, lower the heat slightly to encourage slow cooking.
4. 4Simmer with thyme

   

   Toss fresh thyme sprigs in with the onions and stir well to coat everything in the oil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the mixture simmer slowly for at least thirty minutes, stirring occasionally.

   Tip: If the onions start to catch on the bottom or look too dry during the long simmer, add a splash of water to prevent burning.
5. 5Mince the anchovies

   

   While the onions are simmering, begin preparing the salted fish paste, known as pissalat. Take the oil-packed anchovy fillets and finely mince them on a cutting board until they form a coarse paste.

   Tip: Oil-packed anchovies are softer and easier to mash than salt-packed ones, and they bring a rich umami flavor.
6. 6Prep the sardines

   

   Take the canned sardines and ensure they are deboned. Chop them up on the cutting board. You will soon mash these together with the minced anchovies to complete the fish paste.

   Tip: If your canned sardines contain bones, gently split the fillets open and lift out the spine before chopping.
7. 7Mash the fish paste

   

   Place the finely chopped anchovies and sardines into a bowl. Use a fork to mash them together thoroughly until you achieve a smooth, uniform paste known as pissalat.

   Tip: If the canned fish is very dry, add a tiny splash of olive oil to help it come together into a cohesive paste.
8. 8Remove the thyme stems

   

   After the onions have slowly simmered and become soft and translucent, turn off the heat. Carefully use tweezers or tongs to pick out all the tough thyme stems, leaving only the infused onions behind.

   Tip: Count the sprigs of fresh thyme you add at the beginning so you know exactly how many to pull out later.
9. 9Add the pissalat

   

   Add two generous spoonfuls of your prepared pissalat (anchovy and sardine paste) directly into the pot with the sweet, caramelized onions.

   Tip: The pissalat is quite salty, so hold off on adding any additional salt until everything is mixed and tasted.
10. 10Mix the onion sauce

    

    Using a spoon, stir the fish paste thoroughly into the cooked onions. Ensure the pissalat is evenly distributed so every bite of the final dish has that signature umami flavor.

    Tip: Mix gently but thoroughly so you dont break down the softened onions too much.
11. 11Season with salt

    

    Now that the pissalat is fully integrated into the cooked onions, finish the sauce by sprinkling a touch of salt from a grinder over the mixture. Taste carefully before adding, as the fish paste is naturally salty.

    Tip: Always taste the mixture before adding extra salt. Since the oil-packed anchovies and canned sardines already carry a high sodium content, you may need very little.
12. 12Spread the mixture onto dough

    

    Take your prepared pizza dough and spread the savory onion and pissalat mixture evenly over the surface. Make sure to apply a generous, thick layer, leaving a small border around the edges.

    Tip: If the onion mixture seems too wet, drain off a little of the excess oil before spreading to avoid a soggy dough base.
13. 13Arrange the anchovies

    

    Lay the long anchovy fillets over the onion mixture in a criss-cross diamond pattern. Gently press them into the thick layer of onions so they adhere well. This traditional lattice design is a signature feature of the classic Pissaladière.

    Tip: If using salt-packed anchovies instead of oil-packed, be sure to rinse and soak them first to remove excess salt.
14. 14Add the black olives

    

    Place a whole black olive into the center of each diamond shape created by the anchovy lattice. The olives add a beautiful pop of dark color and a briny, earthy punch to every slice, balancing the sweetness of the caramelized onions.

    Tip: Use pitted olives to make the finished flatbread easier and safer to eat.
15. 15Bake the Pissaladière

    

    Transfer the assembled flatbread into a preheated oven at 210°C (410°F). Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the edges of the dough puff up and turn a beautiful crispy, golden brown.

    Tip: Keep an eye on the flatbread during the final 5 minutes of baking, as oven temperatures can vary and you want to avoid burning the edges.
16. 16Brush with olive oil

    

    As soon as the Pissaladière comes out of the oven, use a pastry brush to lightly dab good quality olive oil over the top. This simple finishing touch adds a beautiful appetizing shine and an extra layer of fresh, fruity flavor to the warm crust.

    Tip: Apply the olive oil while the flatbread is still hot so the crust absorbs the flavor beautifully.

Storage & Reheating

Burn It Off

Frequently Asked Questions