French Anchovy & Onion Tart

Step 1

Pour 1.5 cups flour and 0.75 teaspoon salt into a large bowl and stir with a fork until combined.

Step 2

Add 3 tablespoons olive oil to the flour and stir with a fork until the mixture looks like wet sand with pea-sized lumps throughout, about 60 seconds.

Step 3

Add 4 to 5 tablespoons of cold water, one tablespoon at a time, stirring gently with a fork after each addition until the dough just holds together in a shaggy ball.

Step 4

Turn the dough out onto a 13 × 9-inch sheet pan and press it with your fingers into an even, thin layer covering the entire pan, about 1/4-inch thick.

Step 5

Place the four medium onions root-side down on a cutting board and slice them lengthwise from root to tip into 1/4-inch-thick strips, keeping layers separate.

Step 6

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it shimmers and slides quickly when tilted, about 90 seconds.

Step 7

Add the sliced onions and 0.25 teaspoon salt to the hot oil and stir with a wooden spoon to coat evenly.

Step 8

Cook the onions, stirring once every 45 seconds, until they turn deep golden brown and very soft, about 8 to 10 minutes—they should look jam-like, not wet.

Step 9

Set the oven to 425°F and wait until the indicator light or beep signals it has fully heated, about 10 minutes.

Step 10

Spread the golden caramelized onions in an even layer over the dough on the sheet pan, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges.

Step 11

Arrange the twelve anchovy fillets in a crosshatch pattern across the onions, spacing them about 1 inch apart so they look like a grid.

Step 12

Scatter the pitted black olives evenly over the surface in the gaps between the anchovies.

Step 13

Slide the sheet pan into the preheated oven and bake until the crust edges are golden brown and the surface looks dry, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Step 14

Remove the pan from the oven using oven mitts and let it cool for 3 minutes, then cut into 8 squares and serve warm or at room temperature.