French dishes from the South of France cookbook by Hilke Maunder
Many of you are probably familiar with the typical French onion tart from Alsace. In the south of France there is an exotic version with anchovies and black olives: the so-called pissaladière. Its unique aroma comes primarily from the secret ingredient anchovy paste - a classic of Provençal cuisine. This typical French gourmet creation originally comes from Nice, but is now also enjoyed by gourmets in Antibes, Menton and all of southern France. The pissaladière can be served both as a main course and as an aperitif .
Pissaladière: French onion tart with anchovies and anchovy paste
In this article you will find a wonderfully simple and aromatic recipe for a typical French onion tart with anchovies and anchovy paste. It comes from the Southern France cookbook Le Midi by Hilke Maunder, in which you will be whisked away to the Midi region with 80 exquisite and unique French dishes. A culinary journey to the South of France, where the loving production of the food and the dedicated work of the producers are the focus. As you leaf through the book, beautiful pictures will awaken anticipation of your next holiday in France - you can bridge the waiting time by enjoying the wonderful French dishes and being inspired by exclusive tips and exciting information about the Midi region.
To put it in Hilke Maunder's words : "The name [of the book] alone awakens longing. It lets you feel the warmth of the south and evokes images of purple lavender and yellow sunflower fields, green vineyards with dark grapes, sunny beaches, snow-capped peaks and furrowed karst mountains."
Southern France cookbook by Hilke Maunder with 80 typical French dishes
Hilke and I share a love of France. We are both enthusiastic about the unique culture, the local delicacies and, above all, the producers who care about the authenticity of their products. You can find out more about Hilke and her passion for France in my interview with her and on her blog .
At the end of October you can win a copy of Hilke Maunder's Southern France cookbook Le Midi at La Sariette! More information will be available shortly in our newsletter (sign up at the bottom of this page)...
Typical French Pissaladière: the right wine
What would a typical French dish be without the right wine? Our trusted winemakers rely on organic viticulture, which is why our range consists exclusively of organic wines with the French seal for protected designation of origin AOP (Appellation d'origine protégéé). Pure quality!
For the French onion tart with anchovies, olives and anchovy paste, I recommend this round and fruity white wine . It harmonizes perfectly with the hearty aromas of the pissaladière and can be enjoyed at 10 to 12 °C as an aperitif or as an accompaniment to the main course - so you can use the pissaladière recipe however you like.
The anchovy paste gives the pissaladière its strong aroma.
By the way: Anchovies and anchovies are the same thing. In French they are called anchois , which is why you can find the anchovy paste for this typical French dish in the shop among the spreads under the name “anchoiade”.
Ingredients for 4 people
1 shortcrust pastry
1 kg of onions
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 sprigs of thyme
2 tbsp anchoiade (anchovy paste)
8–10 anchovies
20 black olives (pitted)
The secret to a successful pissaladière: Anchoiade (French for anchovy paste)
Preparation: French onion cake (Pissaladière)
- Peel the onions and cut into rings or cubes.
- Braise the onions in the olive oil with the thyme sprigs at a low temperature for about 30 minutes until they are soft and translucent. Make sure that the onions do not brown. Then remove the thyme sprigs.
- Add the anchovy paste and mix thoroughly. Allow to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 210 °C (top/bottom heat).
- Put the shortcrust pastry on the baking tray. Spread the onion topping on top. Dab the anchovies and place them on the onions. Spread the olives evenly over the topping.
- Bake the pissaladière in the oven on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes until crispy.
Did you like it? Write it in the comments! And if you fancy more, here is another recipe from the Southern France cookbook Le Midi by Hilke Maunder. And don't forget: at the end of October you can win your very own copy! Bon appétit and see you soon!
Ready, set, go! Enjoy this typical French dish.
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