Chef notes
Pissaladière originates from the south of France, where it's traditionally topped with slow-cooked onions and a lattice pattern of anchovies with olives in the center. You could also combine thinly sliced potatoes, feta, rosemary and anchovies.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2/3 cup lukewarm water
- 3 to 4 zucchinis
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh red chile, like fresno, to taste
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 12 to 14 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3½ ounces crumbled feta cheese, preferably goat
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- Torn basil and mint leaves, for garnish
Preparation
For the Olive Oil Pastry:
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, combine the oil and water together. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix with a knife until the dough comes together; it should be soft and supple. Cover and allow the dough to rest for at least 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge.
For the Zucchini Topping:
Grate the zucchini onto a clean cotton dish towel or cheesecloth. Pull up the sides of the towel, twist and squeeze tightly over the sink to remove the liquid. In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil, then add the green onions, garlic and red chile. Cook over a medium-low heat until softened but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add the zucchini, rosemary, thyme, lemon juice, salt and pepper; fry for a few more minutes until the zucchini is just softened.
For the Pissaladière:
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Cut a sheet of parchment paper so it is the same size as a 13- by 15-inch baking tray. Set aside the parchment paper. Place the baking tray in the oven to preheat—this will ensure a crisp base.
Place the parchment paper on a clean bench and roll out Olive Oil Pastry on top until it is the same size as the baking paper. Fold in the edges of the dough by a half-inch to form a raised border.
Spread the Zucchini Topping over the pastry base.
Squeeze out the juices from the cherry tomatoes (this will prevent the pastry from getting soggy). Top the pie with the cherry tomatoes, crumbled feta and pine nuts.
Slip the parchment paper and pissaladière onto the preheated baking tray and bake until crisp and golden, about 30 minutes. Garnish with torn basil and mint leaves and serve warm or cold.
