Find Cote d'Azur on your Plate for July 4th, Pissaladiere by Valerie Aikman-Smith from Flavors of Summer (Ryland Peters & Small, April 2015).

Pissaladière with Provençal olive relish

You will fall in love with Pissaladière the first time you bite into a slice. The saltiness of the anchovies and sweetness of the caramelized onions with olive relish is sensational.

Ingredients:

375 g/3 cups all-purpose/plain flour
7 g/1⁄4 oz. active dry/fast action yeast
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
300 ml/11⁄4 cups warm water
125 ml/1⁄2 cup olive oil, plus extra to serve
8 red onions, peeled and thinly sliced

Provençal Olive Relish (see below)

12–14 anchovy fillets
15 pitted black olives
fresh thyme sprigs, to garnish
a baking sheet, greased with olive oil

SERVES 6

Begin by making the dough. Place the flour, yeast, thyme and salt in a ceramic bowl, and mix together. Stir in the water and 60 ml/ 1/4 cup of the oil until combined. Cover with a paper towel or clingfilm/plastic wrap and set aside to rise for 2 1/2–3 hours until it doubles in size.

To caramelize the onions, place a large skillet/frying pan over medium–low heat and add the remaining olive oil and the onions. Cook for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden brown and soft. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 260ºC (500ºF) Gas 10 or as high as it will go.

Turn the risen dough out onto the prepared baking sheet. Gently press the dough with the palms of your hands, stretching it to the edges of the pan. Spread the onions over the dough and randomly dollop the Provençal Olive Relish on top. Arrange the anchovies and olives evenly on top.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 15–20 minutes, until the dough is golden and crispy. Remove from the oven and slice into portions.

Serve, garnished with sprigs of thyme and a drizzle of olive oil.

Provençal olive relish

This is Provence in a jar! The olives are drenched in oil and spiced with capers and salty anchovies. It works perfectly atop bruschetta, pizzas, crudités, and pickled eggs, or lightly spread on chicken before roasting in the oven.

200 g/2 cups pitted Kalamata olives, drained
12 anchovy fillets
40 g/1⁄4 cup capers, drained
grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
60 ml/1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to cover
cracked black pepper
sterilized glass jars with airtight lids

MAKES 700 ML/3 CUPS

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until the mixture is almost smooth but still has some texture. Season with pepper.
Pack the relish into a sterilized glass jar and drizzle with a little olive oil to cover the surface. Store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

(* Recipe by Valerie Aikman-Smith, Photography by Erin Kunkel, Reproduced with permission from 'Flavors of Summer'- Ryland Peters & Small, April 2015)