• This traditional French dish is typically made with pizza dough, focaccia dough and pie dough. When I was apprentice in the Bordeaux region, I remember my boss reusing laminated croissant dough scraps - unheard of. It adds a unique twist to this savory tart. To begin, you can refer to a reliable croissant dough recipe like my Best Butter Croissant.
  

*Onion Mixture For Pissaladière

• When it comes to cooking with onions, using frozen sliced onions can be a convenient alternative to preparing them from scratch. However, store-bought frozen sliced onions often come in thick slices, which can release more water during cooking. It's important to note that onions shrink significantly in size when cooked, usually reducing to about half of their original volume. To ensure you have the right consistency and flavor in your dishes, it's best to peel, cut, and slice fresh onions thinly using a sharp chef's knife or a mandoline if you are comfortable using one. Using fresh onions allows you to control the thickness of the slices and the overall quality of the onion base in your recipes.
  
• Thinly sliced onions cook more evenly and release their flavors better, enhancing the overall taste of your dishes. If you prefer the convenience of using frozen sliced onions, you can still achieve good results by taking some extra steps. Thaw the frozen onions and pat them dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture before adding them to your recipes. This simple technique can help prevent your dishes from becoming too watery and ensure that the onions caramelize properly for optimal flavor.
  
• Firstly, heat up a hot pot or Dutch oven and drizzle in the olive oil. Add in the sliced onions, salt, pepper, and herbs. Stir everything together using a wooden spatula and let it cook on high heat for 10 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-high and continue cooking for 30 minutes with the lid on. Remove the lid and add the anchovies paste to the pot. Let the dish simmer for 2 hours or longer to allow the flavors to marry and intensify. Remember to stir the mixture every 20 minutes or so. Readjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
  
• Onions play a crucial role in both the pissaladière and French Onion Soup, but the way they are cooked differs significantly between the two dishes. While the French onion soup requires the onions to be caramelized to perfection, the onions in the pissaladière do not necessarily have to reach that level of caramelization.
  
• Pass the cooked onion through a chinois. Save cooking liquid for later use. Spread them out on a large rimmed baking tray.
  
• Discard herbs and let cool completely. Onion mixture can be made ahead of time and kept refrigerated for up to 3 days.
  

Preparing Anchovies

• To remove some of the salt from anchovies, soak in cold water or milk for 1 hour. Drain and pat dry before using. Save anchovies oil to make salad dressing.
  

Pissaladiere Using Pizza Dough

• Make 4 regular pizzas or 2 large rectangle pizzas. Brush olive oil, cover dough with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight. Remove plastic wrap, sprinkle some grated parmesan and top with chilled cooked onions, anchovies and olives. Bake directly in the preheated fan oven (500°F/260°C) with a pizza stone for about 10 to 15 minutes. The pizza stone should be placed in the oven during the preheating process for 30 minutes prior baking so it gets thoroughly heated. Or bake in your wood-fired oven for about 5 minutes.
  

Pissaladiere Using Pre-baked Pizza Dough

• Brush pre-baked pizza dough with olive oil, and sprinkle over some grated parmesan, cooked onions, anchovies and olives.
  
• Bake as suggested above but for 8 minutes in the domestic oven or 3 minutes in your wood-fired oven. Garnish with Parmigiano shavings, and serve with seasoned arugula if desired. Enjoy!
  

Pissaladiere Using Croissant Dough

• Thaw laminated croissant dough/scraps overnight in the refrigerator. You would need about 550g croissant dough to cover a regular sheet pan that will serve 12 guests. Flour your work surface, and roll out dough into a 4mm thick sheet or any other desired shapes. Lay dough onto a lightly greased baking tray that is free of parchment. Trim off excess dough, prick dough with a fork and freeze until ready to bake. Do likewise with the remaining dough.
  

Pre-Baking

• Pre-baking pissaladiere dough makes it crispier. Preheat your fan oven to 490°F/255°C with a pizza stone as suggested above. Brush dough with olive oil, and sprinkle over some grated parmesan. Bake pissaladière for 7 minutes.
  
• Flip the crust and put back in the oven for 3 minutes more.
  
• Cover crust with onions. Arrange the anchovy fillets in a crisscross pattern over the onions. Place the olives in the gaps created by the anchovies.
  
• At this juncture, the ready to bake pissaladiere can be kept frozen for up to 2 months. When ready to serve, throw the frozen pissaladiere in the preheated oven directly on the hot pizza stone, or your wood fired oven floor. Bake for about 10 minutes.
  
• Garnish with Parmigiano shavings, and serve with seasoned arugula if desired. Cut your pissaladière into desired portions – Bon appétit!