Recipe: Pissaladiere (French open-faced pastry, like pizza, yeast dough)

PISSALADIERE

"This Southern French version of pizza comes from Provence, the birthplace of tapenade, the olive and anchovy spread that is the flavor base for pissaladiere. This recipe makes six to eight individual pies, but you can just as easily make it as one large one, and cut pieces for your guests."

1 package active dry yeast
3/4 cup hot tap water
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Salt
3 white onions, cut in half through root end, then sliced into thin strips
1/2 bunch thyme
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup tapenade or olive paste (available in specialty food stores)
3 tomatoes, seeds removed, cut into neat, fine dice (1/8-inch)
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped separately (for garnish)

Dissolve yeast in water, then add 1 tablespoon olive oil; gradually add flour, stirring with a wooden spoon and incorporating a sprinkling of salt, until dough can be worked on a board. Knead on floured surface until smooth. Allow to rise in an oiled bowl in a warm place until double in size (about 1 hour).

Saute the onions with the thyme in 1 tablespoon olive oil until evenly browned (caramelized); set aside.

Roll out dough very thin (1/16-inch thick) on a floured surface.

Using a 5-inch diameter cookie cutter, or a coffee can, cut 8 disks of dough, and place them on a baking sheet generously dusted with cornmeal. Brush with olive oil.

Spread about 2 teaspoons tapenade onto each disk, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Sprinkle on 2 tablespoons caramelized onions and a smattering of tomato dice.

Bake in very hot (450 degrees F) oven until the crust is crisp and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot.

Makes 8 servings
Source: The Everything Vegetarian Cookbook by Jay Weinstein