PISSALADIERE (for four)

This is a French take on pizza.  Please note that there is second recipe for pissaladière under appetizers on this site that calls for puff pastry rather than pizza dough.

½ pound pizza dough

flour as needed

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed

1-1/2 pounds onions, about 3 large or 4 to 5 medium, thinly sliced

salt and black pepper to taste

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried

6 to 10 anchovies (optional)

about 12 Nicoise or other good quality olives, pitted and cut in half (optional)

6 to 8 thin slices plum tomato (optional)

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1.   Preheat oven to 450*, with a pizza stone in place if you have one.  Knead the dough lightly and place it on a lightly floured surface; sprinkle it with a little more flour and cover it with plastic wrap or a towel.  Let it rest while the oven heats and you cook the onions.

2.   Put the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and add the onions and some salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions give up their liquid and become quite soft, at least 15 minutes; do not allow them to brown.  When they are cooked, turn off the heat and stir in the thyme.

3.   Pat or roll out the dough as thinly as possible, to a diameter of about 12 inches, using more flour or oil as necessary.  The process will be easier if you let the dough rest between rollings.  If you have a pizza stone in your oven, place the dough on a floured peel or a long handled board; if not, lay the dough on a baking sheet brushed lightly with olive oil.  Let the dough rest for 15 to 30 minutes, or until it begins to puff ever so slightly.

4.    Spread the dough with onions and then decorate, if you like, with anchovies, olives and tomatoes.  Bake until nicely crisp, 15 minutes or more; if the tart is browning unevenly, rotate it back to front about halfway through the cooking time.  Serve hot or at room temperature.

from Mark Bittman, The Best Recipes in the World