A pissaladière is often described as a French pizza, but that doesn't really do it justice. Originating from Nice on the Côte d'Azur, it's built on a simple bread dough topped with slowly cooked onions, anchovies and black olives. The onions become sweet and meltingly soft, balancing the salty richness of the anchovies, while good olive oil brings everything together.
Serve it warm or at room temperature with a crisp green salad. It's equally at home as a light lunch, cut into small squares for drinks with friends or packed up for a summer picnic.
For the best flavour, use Spanish onions. Their natural sweetness really comes into its own during the long, slow cooking, creating the rich, caramelised base that makes this dish so special. Don't be tempted to rush this step - it's worth taking your time. As with many simple dishes, the quality of the ingredients makes all the difference, so use the best anchovies and extra virgin olive oil you can find. The difference is worth it.