Pissaladière

Method

1. Stir 100 g of strong white bread flour, 2 g of dried yeast and 3 g of fine salt together in a bowl, keeping the salt and yeast apart until mixed. Pour in 60 ml of warm water and 1 tsp of the olive oil and bring together into a soft, slightly sticky dough.
2. Knead on an unfloured work surface for 8 minutes, until smooth and elastic and the dough springs back slowly when pressed. Return it to the bowl, cover, and leave in a warm place for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.
3. While the dough rises, warm 2 tsp of olive oil in a wide heavy frying pan over the lowest heat. Add 250 g of thinly sliced onions, 1 clove of crushed garlic, 1 tsp of thyme leaves, 1 bay leaf and a pinch of salt. Stir to coat, cover, and cook for 40 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so, until the onions have collapsed to a soft pale jam. They must not brown; drop the heat or add a spoonful of water if they catch.
4. Uncover for the last 5 minutes so any liquid evaporates and the onions hold their shape on a spoon. Fish out the bay leaf, grind over black pepper, taste for salt (remember the anchovies are salty) and leave to cool to lukewarm.