Pissaladiere - Food 'n' Flix: A Good Year

This month's Food 'n' Flix challenge is hosted by Tina at Squirrel Head Manor and she has chosen the Russell Crowe film "A Good Year".  It's based on a book by Peter Mayle, who also wrote "A Year in Provence" and this story is also set in the same region. It's the story of Max, an investment banker and fairly unpleasant character, who inherits his uncle's house and vineyard in Provence. Going back there to sort out the details, and intending to sell the property, Max remembers the childhood summers he spent there, and meets a charming French woman, Fanny, played by Marion Cotillard. Their first meeting - where Max's careless driving knocks Fanny off her bike - makes her behave very coldly to him for some time (there is a very funny scene where Max falls into an empty swimming pool and Fanny helps him get out by filling it with water). But she eventually warms to him and unsurprisingly they fall in love. At the same time Max decides to keep the house and make a go of the vineyard, but a spanner is thrown into the works when his uncle's illegitimate daughter arrives, with her own claim on the estate. Of course, it all ends happily - you will just have to watch the film!

I decided to cook something from Provence in honour of this film. Pissaladière is a Provencal tart made using puff pastry and topped with slow cooked onions, olives, anchovies and herbs. I'm not really keen on anchovies so I decided to use anchovy paste in the recipe. I also don't really like olives either, but I did include them for authenticity!

It's pretty easy to make - first chop an onion and sweat it in a knob of butter and add 2 tbsp. brown sugar.

I used anchovy puree instead of anchovies; I rolled out a piece of puff pastry and thinly spread the puree on top. When the onions are softened, add 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar or 1/2 tbsp. balsamic glaze.

Spread the onion mixture on the puff pastry and top with some sliced olives.

Bake in the oven until the puff pastry is risen and golden. I love the sweetness that comes from the sugar and balsamic glaze.

I'm sending this to Food 'n' Flix as my recreation of a Provencale meal.