Pissaladière
The Provençal relative of Italian pizza, Pissaladière has a thick bread base, enriched with olive oil, topped with a tomato and onion mixture, then finished with a lattice of anchovies and olives. Serve warm or cool for a snack high on flavor, but low in calories.
Dough
3 1⁄2 cups (875 mL) bread flour, plus extra for kneading
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
1 package rapid-rise yeast
3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil
1 1⁄4 cups (300 mL) warm water
Topping
2 tsp (10 mL) olive oil
4 onions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 can (19 oz/540 mL) chopped tomatoes in juice
2 tbsp (25 mL) tomato paste
1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh oregano
2 cans anchovy fillets, drained and halved lengthwise
16 pitted black olives, quartered
Pepper
• Canned tomatoes are a nutritious pantry ingredient, as the canning process does not destroy the lycopene content but rather enhances it. Lycopene is a phytochemical with powerful antioxidant properties. Canned tomatoes are
particularly useful in the wintertime, when fresh tomatoes are expensive and not as flavourful.
- For the dough, sift the flour and salt into a bowl, then stir in the yeast. Make a well in the centre and pour in the oil and water. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the liquids, using a spoon at first and then your hand, to make a soft, slightly sticky dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and springy. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and leave in a warm place to rise for about 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Meanwhile, make the topping. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onions and garlic, and cook over a low heat until very soft and lightly golden but not browned, about 40 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, the tomato paste, oregano and pepper to taste, and cook gently for 10 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
- 4When the dough has risen, punch it down and knead again gently. Roll it out on a floured surface to a 12-in. (30-cm) square and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Spread the onion mixture evenly over the dough square, then make a criss-cross pattern on top with the anchovy fillets. Place the olive quarters in the squares. Leave the pissaladière to rise at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- Bake the pissaladière for about 30 minutes or until the crust is golden and firm, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before cutting into squares for serving.
Preparation time 30 minutes plus 1 hour rising
Cooking time 1 hour, 20 minutes
Makes 64 bite-sized squares
Each serving (one square) provides: calories 43, calories from fat 9, fat 1 g, saturated fat 0 g,
cholesterol 1 mg, carbohydrate 7 g, fibre 1 g, sugars 1 g, protein 2 g.
Choices per serving: Carbohydrate 1⁄2
