Vegan Pissaladière

🛒 Ingredients

• #For the Dough;
• 250 g plain flour.. 1 tsp instant dried yeast.. ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil.. 150 ml warm water (adjust as needed)
• #For the Caramelised Onion Topping;
• 800 g sweet brown onions (approx. 4–5 large), thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp brown sugar (optional, helps caramelisation)
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp dried thyme or herbes de Provence
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• #For the Savoury "Anchovy" Style Strips (Vegan Alternative);
• 100 g thin strips of marinated tempeh, eggplant, or nori‑marinated tofu
• 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari.. 1 tsp olive oil
• ½ tsp smoked paprika.. 1 tsp lemon juice
• #For Garnish;
• 80–100 g black olives (pitted, Kalamata or Nicoise style)
• Fresh thyme or oregano leaves
• Extra olive oil for drizzling

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1

   First, make the dough: In a large bowl, mix the flour, yeast, and salt. Add the olive oil and warm water, then stir together until a rough dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5–7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place back into the bowl, cover with a clean cloth, and leave to rise in a warm place for about 30–45 minutes until slightly puffed.

2. 2

   While the dough rises, caramelise the onions: Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy‑based pan over medium‑low heat. Add the thinly sliced onions and stir to coat. Cook gently for 25–35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, deeply golden, and sweet — do not rush this step, as slow cooking brings out their best flavour. Towards the end, stir in the sugar, vinegar, thyme, salt, and plenty of black pepper. Cook for a further 2–3 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside.

3. 3

   Next, prepare the savoury strips: In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, olive oil, smoked paprika, and lemon juice. Toss the thin strips of tempeh, eggplant, or tofu in this mixture and leave to marinate for 10–15 minutes — these will provide the rich, salty, umami depth that anchovies traditionally bring to the dish.

4. 4

   Now assemble the tart: Preheat your oven to 190 °C (375 °F). Roll out the risen dough thinly on a floured surface to fit a large baking tray or round pizza stone. Carefully transfer the dough to the tray lined with baking paper. Spread the caramelised onion mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a thin border around the edge. Arrange the marinated savoury strips in a decorative criss‑cross pattern over the onions, then place the black olives between the strips, pressing them lightly into the onions.

5. 5

   Finally, bake and serve: Drizzle lightly with extra olive oil and sprinkle with fresh or dried herbs. Bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, or until the crust is golden and crisp around the edges. Remove from the oven, scatter with fresh thyme or oregano leaves, and serve warm — either cut into slices as a main meal or in smaller pieces as an appetiser.