Friday, October 21, 2011

Pissaladière aka Pirate Breath Pizza: French Fridays with Dorie

I've been cooking quite a bit this week, keeping us fed while John completes his over-the-top creations and renovations in the Pirate Workshop, front yard, courtyard, dining room, and living room. Yes, my man is totally immersed in his favorite holiday of the year, and our 4th Annual Halloween party.

This year, for the Pirate theme, you'll find me as Mary Read, an English Pirate who sailed with "Calico Jack" Rackham and Anne Bonny.


Last year's theme was Villains on Trial, with me as Cruella de Vil...


Sensing my irritation with frequent deliveries of Pirate stuff over the past few months, our friend Brad suggested Men Without Girlfriends for next year's theme.

After making this week's French Fridays with Dorie recipe, Pissaladière (pronunciation), with all the onions and anchovies on top, it could work as a nice hors d'oeuvre for the Pirate Party, but I think I'll change the name to Pirate Breath Pizza.

Pissaladiere, a thin tart topped with onion, anchovies and olives, is a specialty of Nice, in Southern France. The sweetness of caramelized onions is balanced with the saltiness of anchovies and distinctive, sour flavor of Niçoise olives.  I used Italian Cerignola olives, which have a mild, sweet flavor, because my market was out of Niçoise olives...and I loved the pretty green color. I mixed in some roasted garlic with the onions, and added a sprinkle of pine nuts and grating of Parmigiano-Reggiano over the top.


The recipe has a boat load pirate ship load of onions...


But after over an hour of slow cooking, with olive oil and thyme, they melt down into caramelized sweetness.


The dough is rolled out thin, placed on a baking sheet, and covered with the onions. According to Jacques Médecin, former mayor of Nice and an authority on its cuisine, the layer of onions on a pissaladière should be half as thick as the crust.


After baking about 20 minutes, the top is adorned with strips of anchovies and olives, and baked a few minutes longer. This should most definitely be served only as hors d'oeuvre, but it was all Captain Juan Carlos Rodriguez Dominguez Christiana de Coronado got for his dinner last night!


Fine Cooking has published Dorie's Pissaladiere recipe, here.


***

French Fridays with Dorie is an online cooking group, dedicated to Dorie Greenspan‘s newest book Around My French Table: More Than 300 Recipes from My Home to Yours.  As members of the group, we have purchased the cookbook and cook along as much as we can. There is a new recipe each week, and we post about that recipe on Friday. We are asked to refrain from posting the actual recipes on our blog. The book is filled with stunning photography, and personal stories about each recipe, which makes it that much more intriguing. I highly recommend adding it to your cookbook collection if you haven't already!



15 comments:

4pure by Andrea said...

Wow, great pictures the green olives combine very well with the pissaldiere.

Tasty Trix said...

You said it: My breath today is less than spring fresh that's for sure! But worth it! (Well, *I* think so anyway)

Cher Rockwell said...

Some things are worth the Altoids - caramalized onions & roasted garlic, for starters... Sigh.

Nana said...

Wow, that looks good. Between the leftover smell in the kitchen and the taste in my mouth, I'm ready for something really happy tasting. Hubby enjoyed my burnt onions, and I enjoyed the crust. This is how you
survive 57 years of wedded bliss. Compromise. Great job.

Nina said...

Yum yum gimme sum!

Roger said...

Denise, it sounds very good, other than the lingering effects.

Confessions of a Culinary Diva said...

The Pirate Theme looks pretty awesome! Great photos - I love how the green olives compliment the pissaladiere and liven it up!
Happy French Friday!

Anonymous said...

You got some great shots of the pissaladière. Enjoy your party - going all out makes it more fun!

Adriana said...

Your post made me smile. You guys go all out for your parties - how fun! Your pissaladiere looks beautiful, and the Pirate's Breath description is spot on.

Betsy said...

Perfect for your pirate party! I used green olives too (picholines, so they were still French). Your dog is so cute!

Anonymous said...

I want to come to the party!! Its my favorite holiday of the year as well, and we usually decorate to the max. A little more low key this year; others are hosting the party and so much going on. Love the pirate theme! hope you post more pictures post-party. Oh, and your pissaladiere looks great with the green olives and bits of grated cheese. I couldn't quite get over not using any...glad someone tried it with...

bunkycooks said...

Hahaha! Love the Men without Girlfriends theme! ;-) John is a man obsessed, but I think Dooley is into it as well. Love the pizza minus the anchovies, although Mr. B likes them. Me, no can do.

Frankly Entertaining said...

I think you've got the best pictures that I've seen of this week's recipe! Hopefully you won't have to go with your friend's theme for next year's party!!

Trevor Sis Boom said...

I second the 'best picture' meme here. And I love your enthusiasm for changing the name!

tricia s. said...

This post was awesome - you had me chuckling from the beginning with your party escapes. Too funny. And thanks for including the pronunciation link. I totally used it and after hearing it spoke about 4 times, decided I was going to keep calling it "Dorie Focaccia". I just can't pull that one off :) As I have said before - your photos are out of this world. They are almost distractingly good - I forget what I am reading and am like "Oh my gosh- how DID she get that shot ???". Well done all around and thanks for sharing ~