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BY OUR RESIDENT FOODIE KATIE FRASER

Party Pissaladière

This is the ultimate people pleaser and a perfect nibble for your Christmas drinks party. Rich, salty and delicious, pissaladière is a traditional dish from the South of France, and whose close cousin, pissalat, is said to date back to the 1st century. It’s easy to see why this winning formula has stood the test of time. Serve warm with a French sparkling white such as a Crémant or Blanc de Blancs, or with a fruity Burgundy Pinot Noir. It eats just as well with a green salad for a light meal.

Pissaladière

for 6 - 8 people

. 250g strong bread . 14g dry yeast . 1 tsp sugar . 5 tbsp olive oil . 35g butter . 1.5kg onions, finely sliced . pitted black olives . 2 x 30g tin anchovies . a bunch of thyme . sea salt

Start with your dough: sprinkle dried yeast and sugar over 120ml warm water, stir and leave for 10 mins to froth up. Mix 1 tsp salt to the flour, add yeast mixture, mix then knead for 8 mins until smooth. Coat a clean bowl with olive oil, pop in your dough, and leave covered in a warm place until doubled in size (this should take around an hour). (If time is of the essence, you can use ready rolled puff pastry).

While your dough is proving, slowly cook onions in 3 tbsp olive oil and butter, with leaves from half a bunch of thyme and a good pinch of sea salt, for 30 - 45 mins. Stir occasionally. Onions need to be really soft and caramelised, but be careful not to brown them. When cooked, set aside to cool.

Brush a baking tray with olive oil. Knock back your dough, roll it out to the size of your baking tray (around 30 x 25 cm will give you a good thickness) place it on the tray and cover with the onions. Drain anchovy fillets, cut each in two down the middle and arrange into a diagonal criss-cross pattern over the onions. Pop olives in each ‘triangle’ and sprinkle with the remaining thyme leaves. Leave to prove again while you heat the oven to 220˚C, bake for 20 minutes or until crispy, and enjoy!

Katie runs hēt – a Frome-based takeaway serving up tasty food with heat. To join the mailing list and be first to see weekly Friday menus and more email hetfrome@gmail.com. Follow on Instagram @het_frome