This onion, olive, and anchovy topped focaccia is essentially an Italian version of the Provencal dish Pissaladiere.  This version is adapted from Nick Malgieri’s book, The Modern Baker.  I made half of his recipe, which I baked in a quarter sheet pan (13 x 9).  It made 3 servings for us for dinner with a salad.  This can be made straight though in about 3.5 hours although I prepared the dough on one day and let it ferment slowly overnight in the refrigerator.

7.6 oz. all-purpose flour (I used KAF)

1 tsp. salt

1.25 tsp. yeast

5.3 oz. warmish water

4 Tbs. olive oil, divided

1 lb. onions, peeled and thinly sliced

1 oz. (half a can) flat anchovies, chopped

1/3 cup mixed black and green olives, halved (I used oil cured black olives and Castelvetrano)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper.

In a mixing bowl put the flour, ½ Tbs. of olive oil,  and salt and mix together.  Form a depression in the middle of the flour mixture and add the yeast to the depression.  Add the water to the middle of the bowl.  Allow to rest for 5 minutes to bloom the yeast.

Mix the dough together with a dough whisk until a reasonably smooth dough is formed.  Cover and allow to rest for 20 minutes.  Using a wet hand, stretch and fold the dough until smooth.  Cover, and either allow to ferment on the kitchen counter until doubled (1-2 hours) or put it in the refrigerator to slowly ferment overnight.  (In this case, the next day remove it from the refrigerator around 3 hours before baking to allow it to complete the first bulk rise, a second rise in the pan, and baking.

While the dough is rising, make the topping.  Put 2 Tbs. of oil in a large skillet and add the onions.  Heat until the onions have started to sizzle and then turn down the heat to cook the onions slowly until they have caramelized, about 20-30 minutes.  Fold in the chopped anchovies and halved olives, and some freshly ground black pepper.  Set aside to cool.  (Can make this in advance.)

When the dough has completed its first rise, put 1.5 Tbs. of olive oil in a quarter-sheet pan and rub the olive oil all over the bottom and sides of the hands.  With greased hands, take the risen dough and stretch and pull it to cover the pan.  If it resists fully covering the pan, allow it to rest covered for 20 minutes before stretching and pulling it some more.  Cover and allow to rise another hour.

While the dough is rising, make the topping.  Put 2 Tbs. of oil in a large skillet and add the onions.  Heat until the onions have started to sizzle and then turn down the heat to cook the onions slowly until they have caramelized, about 20-30 minutes.  Fold in the chopped anchovies and halved olives.  Set aside to cool.  (Can make this in advance.)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Top the dough with the onion mixture and bake for about 15 minutes until done.  Cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, and then cut into squares and serve.