Pissaladière

A Pissaladière is a kind of French-style pizza that makes a great hors d'oeuvre. No cheese or tomatoes are used. The recipe I tried asks for bread dough bought from a baker ( as is commonplace in Europe. Not finding that you can either use bought pizza dough or make your own)

Ingredients

14oz bread or pizza dough

2lbs onions

1 1/2 cups or 10 oz anchovies

15 black olives

2 tbs powdered sugar

herbes de provence

pepper

olive oil

Method

In a large pan, heat up 5 tbs of olive oil.

Slice the onions

When the oil is warm, put the onions in the pan, add the pepper and herbs and the powdered sugar.

DO NOT put in any salt.

The sugar is necessary to balance out the acidity of the onions.

Gently cook the onions and be very careful that they don't burn or the whole thing could be ruined. They just have to turn golden

The secret of the Pissaladière is here: Put in some of the anchovies with the onions. The heat will almost melt them and they will get combined with the onions. If necessary, add a tbs of the anchovy oil to the mixture.

Roll out the dough and press it into a pan (pre-sprayed with non stick or olive oil), pushing up the sides.

Spoon the onion mixture over.

Decorate with the anchovy fillets and the olives.

Cook at about 420F/220C until done.

The Pissaladière is also great cold.

Serve with a green salad.

Pumpkin pie - not the usual type!

Pumpkin pie is a standard traditional dish in the north of Malta but unlike the pies that are so popular in America, these are not a dessert, but the main meal. It is made using fresh pumpkin (NOT canned) which is abundant in Malta (hmmm and we don't even celebrate Halloween there!)
This recipe is not my own, it was sent to me by my cousin so if the author is out there please let me know so I can give you credit!!!

I made this yesterday and it is yummy!!!

Ingredients:
For the filling:
one onion (peeled and finely chopped),
three cloves of garlic (crushed and chopped),
extra virgin olive oil,
400g of pumpkin (peeled, de-seeded and diced),
100g of olives,(pitted)
two tablespoonfuls of capers (some people use sultanas instead),
two tablespoonfuls of Italian marjoram
one tablespoonful of fresh mint (chopped),
two x 170g cans of tuna in oil,
three or four anchovy fillets,
250g of long-grain rice.

For the pastry:
450g of plain flour,
a generous pinch of salt,
150ml of extra virgin olive oil,
one large egg and enough white wine to make 150ml of liquid.

To make the filling:
Boil the rice in abundant salted water for about half the time stipulated on the packet, then drain it immediately and leave it to cool.
Fry the onions and garlic until they are soft and golden, add the pumpkin and carry on cooking. Stir in the olives and capers (or sultanas) and fry until everything is soft.
Add a little white wine if the mixture starts to stick to the bottom of the pan.
When it is cooked, put in the tuna, anchovies, herbs and cooked rice.
Stir the mixture and season it with salt and pepper.
Leave it to cool.

To make the pastry:
Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl, stir in the olive oil and rub it into the flour.
Add the egg-and-white-wine mixture and continue to stir until you have pastry.
You may find that you need to add a little more liquid.
Flatten out the pastry with your knuckles and fold it in half, repeating this action four or five times until it is smooth.
Now divide it in two, one piece a little smaller than the other.
Roll out the larger piece and use it to line a 24cm-diameter shallow pie-dish. Fill the lined dish with the pumpkin mixture and press it down lightly.
Moisten the outside edges of the pastry with a little water.
Roll out the other piece of pastry and use it to make a lid for the pie.
Using the prongs of a fork, press down onto the moistened edges of the pastry.
Prick the lid all over and use any left-over scraps of pastry to decorate it.
Brush the pastry lid with egg or milk to glaze it, and bake the pie for around 45 minutes at 190C or until it is golden and cooked.