Stanley Tucci’s 4-Ingredient Appetizer Is My New Go-To

I recently had the pleasure of testing several brands of puff pastry to find the best. It was a fun endeavor, but it left me with an abundance of puff pastry boxes in my freezer. My bursting freezer (and my husband muttering things like, “Stupid freezer...Why is it so full?”) were clear signs that I needed to use that extra puff pastry—and fast.

Before my husband took it upon himself to “right my wrong” by using puff pastry for his PB&J, I went to the internet to find a recipe. Luckily, Stanley Tucci’s recipe for pissaladière (so French!) popped up. I can happily report that my puff pastry was saved and now I'm also equipped to help you create this classic French treat yourself.

What Is a Pissaladière?

According to Merriam-Webster, a Provençal pissaladière is “an open-faced pastry topped with olives, onions, and anchovies.” This French “tart” can be made with yeasted dough or puff pastry. It’s traditionally topped with caramelized onions, salty anchovy filets, and briny Niçoise olives.

How to Make Pissaladière at Home

If you’re tired of pizza, pissaladière is a delicious alternative, and you don’t have to be a Michelin-star chef to make it. The simplest way to start is with frozen puff pastry. Thaw it following package directions, then grab a cast iron pan and use your time wisely by caramelizing the onions. By the time your onions are golden and jammy, your dough should be ready to roll. Lightly flour your work surface and roll the pastry out into a 13-by-11-inch rectangle. Place it on a piece of parchment paper and top with caramelized onions, olives, and anchovies. Let it bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until it’s puffy and golden, then enjoy.

How to Customize Your Pissaladière

I used sweet Vidalia onions for my pissaladière, but other varieties would work well. I love the idea of using shallots, for example. Or you can go the Tucci route and use leeks. While I enjoy the salty, umami-forward flavor of anchovies, it’s okay to skip them or swap them with another protein. You could try tuna packed in oil or even sardines. As for the olives, Niçoise are traditional, but Kalamata or Castelvetrano can work too. Heck, any olive is better than no olive, so use what you can find!

A Hack for Caramelizing Onions

Caramelizing onions on the stove can be labor-intensive. Who wants to stand by the stove and babysit a bunch of onions? Not me! That’s why I use a handy technique I learned when I was a personal chef: oven-roasted caramelized onions. The whole process happens inside the oven, inside a cast iron skillet. The hardest thing you’ll have to do is cut the onions.

Stanley Tucci Inspired Pissaladière

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 medium sweet onions, halved and sliced 
• all-purpose flour, as needed for rolling
• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper, to taste
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup Niçoise olives (or similar), pitted
• 2 ounces canned anchovies
• dried thyme leaves, for garnishing

Directions:

1. Set a large cast iron skillet on the middle rack in the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). 
2. Once oven is fully preheated, carefully remove the skillet; add oil and onions to it and stir. Cover the skillet with foil and roast for 20 minutes. Uncover, season with salt and pepper, stir, and roast until onions are golden and soft, an additional 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, lightly flour a clean work surface and roll puff pastry out into a 13-by-11-inch rectangle. Transfer pastry to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
4. Top with caramelized onions, olives, and anchovies. Bake until crust is puffed and golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. 
5. Cool for 10 minutes before slicing.