Pissaladière with olives and anchovies recipe
 Making the dough with plain flour makes a huge difference to the texture of this pissaladière. It also means it’s good to eat cold, as it keeps some softness. 250g/9oz plain flour1 tsp salt5g instant yeast1 tbsp honey50ml/2fl oz olive oil125ml/4fl oz warm water 250g/9oz plain flour 1 tsp salt 5g instant yeast 1 tbsp honey 50ml/2fl oz olive oil 125ml/4fl oz warm water 2 tbsp olive oilknob of butter1.25kg/2 lb 12 oz onions, thinly slicedfew thyme leaves (optional)2 100g/4oz jars anchovies1 small jar black pitted olives, drained 2 tbsp olive oil knob of butter 1.25kg/2 lb 12 oz onions, thinly sliced few thyme leaves (optional) 2 100g/4oz jars anchovies 1 small jar black pitted olives, drained Method For the dough, put the flour in a bowl and stir in the salt. Add the yeast. Mix the honey with the oil and water, then pour this over the flour. Mix until you have a sticky dough, then turn out the dough and knead until soft and passes the windowpane test (stretch a small piece out until you can see through it – gluten is developed enough if it allows you do this). Return to the bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. Leave to double in size – at least an hour.Meanwhile make the topping. Heat the olive oil and butter in a very large frying pan. When the butter has melted and is foaming, add the onions and thyme leaves (if using). Season with salt. Stir carefully until they reduce in volume – there will seem almost too much for the pan to start with, but they will collapse quite quickly. Continue to cook on a low to medium heat for at least 45 minutes to an hour, stirring regularly. The onions will lightly caramelise on the base – scrape this up regularly when you stir. Eventually you will have very soft, almost puréed, golden brown onions. You can instead cover the pan and let the onions sweat for a similar amount of time – they will collapse in a similar way but be lighter in colour.Preheat the oven to 230C/210C Fan/Gas 8.Knock the dough back and shape to fill a large baking tray – around 40x20cm/16x8in. Spread the onions over the dough, leaving a narrow border, then add the anchovies in a lattice pattern – or more free-form if you prefer (I often do a small amount without as there’s always someone who doesn’t like anchovies!). Add the olives at intervals. Drizzle with a little more olive oil, if you like. Bake in the preheated oven for around 20-25 minutes, or until the dough is cooked through.Cool, cut into slices and serve. For the dough, put the flour in a bowl and stir in the salt. Add the yeast. Mix the honey with the oil and water, then pour this over the flour. For the dough, put the flour in a bowl and stir in the salt. Add the yeast. Mix the honey with the oil and water, then pour this over the flour. Mix until you have a sticky dough, then turn out the dough and knead until soft and passes the windowpane test (stretch a small piece out until you can see through it – gluten is developed enough if it allows you do this). Return to the bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. Leave to double in size – at least an hour. Mix until you have a sticky dough, then turn out the dough and knead until soft and passes the windowpane test (stretch a small piece out until you can see through it – gluten is developed enough if it allows you do this). Return to the bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. Leave to double in size – at least an hour. Meanwhile make the topping. Heat the olive oil and butter in a very large frying pan. When the butter has melted and is foaming, add the onions and thyme leaves (if using). Season with salt. Stir carefully until they reduce in volume – there will seem almost too much for the pan to start with, but they will collapse quite quickly. Continue to cook on a low to medium heat for at least 45 minutes to an hour, stirring regularly. The onions will lightly caramelise on the base – scrape this up regularly when you stir. Meanwhile make the topping. Heat the olive oil and butter in a very large frying pan. When the butter has melted and is foaming, add the onions and thyme leaves (if using). Season with salt. Stir carefully until they reduce in volume – there will seem almost too much for the pan to start with, but they will collapse quite quickly. Continue to cook on a low to medium heat for at least 45 minutes to an hour, stirring regularly. The onions will lightly caramelise on the base – scrape this up regularly when you stir. Eventually you will have very soft, almost puréed, golden brown onions. You can instead cover the pan and let the onions sweat for a similar amount of time – they will collapse in a similar way but be lighter in colour. Eventually you will have very soft, almost puréed, golden brown onions. You can instead cover the pan and let the onions sweat for a similar amount of time – they will collapse in a similar way but be lighter in colour. Preheat the oven to 230C/210C Fan/Gas 8. Preheat the oven to 230C/210C Fan/Gas 8. Knock the dough back and shape to fill a large baking tray – around 40x20cm/16x8in. Spread the onions over the dough, leaving a narrow border, then add the anchovies in a lattice pattern – or more free-form if you prefer (I often do a small amount without as there’s always someone who doesn’t like anchovies!). Add the olives at intervals. Drizzle with a little more olive oil, if you like. Bake in the preheated oven for around 20-25 minutes, or until the dough is cooked through. Knock the dough back and shape to fill a large baking tray – around 40x20cm/16x8in. Spread the onions over the dough, leaving a narrow border, then add the anchovies in a lattice pattern – or more free-form if you prefer (I often do a small amount without as there’s always someone who doesn’t like anchovies!). Add the olives at intervals. Drizzle with a little more olive oil, if you like. Bake in the preheated oven for around 20-25 minutes, or until the dough is cooked through. Cool, cut into slices and serve. Cool, cut into slices and serve.