This week’s French Fridays with Dorie is the beloved French onion and olive pizza-like tart. This week actually worked out really well for me, even though I did not really follow the recipe as directed, but that I got to use up a bunch of leftover refrigerator items that I wasn’t sure how I was going to be able to use up. Hooray!
1. Instead of making the crust, I used about 12 sheets of phyllo dough, from a defrosted package that had been in the fridge for a few days. Perfect! I really had no idea what I was going to do with that before I had to toss it. I brushed the sheets lightly with olive oil in between the layers.
2. I didn’t have Nicoise olives but I did have a can of really good Spanish black olives. I couldn’t really justify going out and buying new olives when I had some that would would work perfectly well (although not super authentic).
3. I had a small amount of sheep’s milk feta left from a package I opened a few days prior. Yeah, I know I broke every pissaladiere rule, but I crumbled it on top. And it was delicious! So be it.
4. I only used about 1/2 tsp anchovy paste in with the onions, as jwa doesn’t really like get into the anchovies. He still commented on the “fishiness.” *sigh*
Anyway, let’s get on with the pictures and links to everyone’s posts this week.
Onions before slicing. Mine were pretty big so I only used four. Yes, this was also a job for the onion goggles.
Sliced up and in the pan with bay leaf, 1/2 tsp dried thyme and olive oil.
About 40 minutes later, the magic has happened.
On the layered phyllo, about to go in the oven.
After about 20 minutes.
Mmmmm, delicious!
I always feel like its some huge accomplishment when I figure out how to use up my odds & ends. I would never have thought to use left over phyllo like this. Good thinking.
The phyllo dough actually looks really good!! Nice work!!!
for all the onions that I have chopped over the years, it seems that I am becoming MORE sensitive to them instead of less… odd right? But I refuse to don the goggles! I just take a chance at cutting myself and press on! Good that you got them cut though! 🙂 They were tasty, tasty goodness!
How did we survive in the kitchen before Onion Goggles? This recipe definitely called for them! Your pissaladiere looks really phenomenal!
Happy French Friday!
Onion goggles are on my ‘to buy’ list – slicing onions is far too time consuming for me, as I have to take frequent breaks to allow my eyes to stop watering enough for me to use the knife safely. Your puff pastry version is pretty – I especially like the edges.
The phyllo dough substitution is inspired! I would have loved the light layers of crust against the soft onions, which look PERFECT. Awesome job 🙂
I love using up what I have on hand too. It feels like a minor accomplishment. You’re lucky your onions took only 40 minutes. It took me 2 hours to get them dark like yours. I cheated and sliced the onions in the food processor.
great use of phyllo and the other leftovers, I’m glad you tried it with cheese because i wanted to do two, one with and one without to see which was better. I had a very hard time NOT putting cheese on it.
I used the puff pastry but this phyllo looks so great! Anyway you do it I just love these flavors and will make it again!
Pissaladiere is one of the recipes I can never bring myself to make… first, it has anchovies, and I need psychological preparation to eat them. A little bit, I can take, but it seems to me the pissaladiere is not for sissies!
but, the real reason is my husband’s problem with onions – if I make that he won’t be able to eat it, he gets very sick from eating onions. Or garlic. It is a bit of a problem, so I guess I’ll have to admire your masterpiece on a virtual context 😉
Not a fan of anchovies either – I am afraid I also would have declared that I “tasted” fish even if you only sat the can on the counter 🙂 Nana warned me that I would not care for this one for that fact so since I was behind anyway…..she held down the fort once again. We plan to play around with this recipe and toppings over Thanksgiving but I have to say that your phyllo dough looks absolutely amazing. My kids love anything involving that ingredient so I will try your method (and try to use up some of my own ingredients too 🙂
Cher: Thanks! And I know, this seemed like a huge accomplishment!
Frolicking: Te phyllo worked super well. I was very pleased with how it turned out 🙂
alice: I am a wimp when it comes to stinging, burning, watery onion-eyes 🙁
Confessions: Thanks! Yes, I do love the goggles 🙂
Teresa: Thank you!
Adriana: Thanks! The phyllo was super light and crispy. Just perfect!
Betsy: I probably cheated on my onions a little. I turned the heat up a bit as I was a little impatient.
JK: Thanks! I know it was wrong, but I just couldn’t do it without cheese 😉
Trevor: Oh, puff pastry sounds nice too! 🙂
SallyBR: That would be a problem! I hear you in the anchovies (I think I could have skipped even the 1/2 tsp of paste I used)…
Tricia: Try the phyllo! I seriously want to try some as the crust for the next regular pizza I make, I don’t think it would support a ton of toppings, but maybe a Margherita pizza. Hmmmm…