A different take on the Pissaladiere, the anchovies and onion tart from Nice in the Provence. In this dish, potatoes are the stars with anchovies in a supporting role. Unlike the Pissaladiere this recipe doesn’t require pastry. A delicious tart recipe which pairs well with salad greens for a light lunch or picnic.
Watch the saltiness of the anchovies, which varies depending on the brand. If you have concerns, soak anchovies in milk for a few minutes to remove any salt excess. Do not rinse. Just lay them on a towel paper to drain until ready to use.
Yield: 4 – 6 servings
Time: 60 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 large onion
- 3 large potatoes, about 1 1/2 lbs (675 g)
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup (240 ml) light cream
- 3 large eggs
- 12 anchovies in oil, drained and oil reserved, 6 finely chopped, 6 reserved for garnish (see photo)
- 1/2 cup (50 g) grated Swiss cheese
- 1/4 cup (7 g) shredded basil or flat-leaf parsley
- salt and freshly ground pepper
Preparation:
Preheat oven 400ºF (200ºC).
Peel onion and potatoes and shred them with the coarse side of the grater or in the food processor. Place shredded onion and potatoes in a colander and run them briefly under cold water. Drain well, pressing with the back of a wooden spoon to extract most of the moisture. Lay vegetables on towel papers and pat them dry.
Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat and stir in potato-onion mixture and cook it for about 5 minutes. Add the chopped anchovies. Give it another good stir to combine well the ingredients. Set aside to cool a bit.
Beat eggs, cream, Swiss cheese and basil or parsley in a bowl. Add egg mix to the potato mixture and stir until mixture is well combined. Heat it through but do not let it boil. Taste for salt and pepper.
Butter a pie dish with removable bottom. Turn the mixture into the dish and drizzle it with a tablespoon of the reserved anchovies oil. Bake it uncovered for about 45 minutes or until the top is crisp and lightly browned.
Garnish with extra anchovies and basil or parsley if you like.
