monegasquelunch

Pissaladière

Name: Pissaladière
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: monegasque
Ingredients: 400 g all-purpose flour; 200 ml water; 10 g instant yeast; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp salt; 800 g onions, thinly sliced; 8 anchovy fillets canned or jarred; 100 g pitted black olives; 3 tbsp olive oil (for caramelizing)

Monaco's answer to pizza — caramelized onions, anchovies, and olives on crispy dough.

Prep

25 min

Cook

40 min

Servings

Difficulty

Medium

★★★★★

4.8(267 ratings)

#monaco#pizza#onions#anchovies#olives

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About This Recipe

Pissaladière is the Monegasque version of pizza, deeply rooted in the region's Italian heritage and Provençal traditions. This savory tart features a thin, crispy dough base topped with slowly caramelized onions, salty anchovies, and briny olives. Without tomato sauce (which distinguishes it from Italian pizza), the focus is on the umami depth of anchovies and the sweetness of perfectly cooked onions.

Ingredients

Serves 4

400 gall-purpose flour
200 mlwater
10 ginstant yeast
2 tbspolive oil
1 tspsalt
800 gonions, thinly sliced
8 anchovy filletscanned or jarred
100 gpitted black olives
3 tbspolive oil (for caramelizing)

Instructions

1
Make dough
Mix flour, water, yeast, olive oil, and salt. Knead until smooth. Let rise 1 hour until doubled.
2
Caramelize onions
Heat olive oil in a large pan. Cook sliced onions over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes until deeply golden and sweet.
3
Stretch dough
Press dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, creating a thin rectangle.
4
Top and bake
Spread caramelized onions over dough. Arrange anchovies in a crisscross pattern. Scatter olives. Bake at 220°C (425°F) for 20-25 minutes until crust is crispy. Serve at room temperature.

Pro Tips

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Don't rush the onions — low and slow caramelization is essential.
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Anchovies are salty — rinse if you prefer less salt.
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Serve at room temperature for best flavor development.

Variations

•
Add roasted red peppers
•
Include fresh herbs like thyme
•
Top with grated cheese (not traditional but good)

Storage

Best eaten the day of, though it keeps refrigerated for 2 days. Reheat gently.

History & Origin

Pissaladière evolved in Monaco and the surrounding Provence region as a rustic way to use preserved anchovies (pissala) and abundant local onions, predating tomato pizza.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does pissaladière mean?

It comes from 'pissala,' an ancient Provençal anchovy paste, and 'ade,' suggesting a topping or preparation.

Is it supposed to have tomato?

No — the absence of tomato is what distinguishes it from Italian pizza and makes it authentically Monegasque.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving · 4 servings total

Calories340kcal

Protein10g

Carbohydrates48g

Fat12g

Fiber3g

Protein10g

Carbs48g

Fat12g

Time Summary

Prep time25 min

Cook time40 min

Total time65 min

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About This Recipe

Instructions

Make dough

Mix flour, water, yeast, olive oil, and salt. Knead until smooth. Let rise 1 hour until doubled.

Caramelize onions

Heat olive oil in a large pan. Cook sliced onions over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes until deeply golden and sweet.

Stretch dough

Press dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, creating a thin rectangle.

Top and bake

Spread caramelized onions over dough. Arrange anchovies in a crisscross pattern. Scatter olives. Bake at 220°C (425°F) for 20-25 minutes until crust is crispy. Serve at room temperature.