# What's the name of this dish? Pizza crust/caramelized onions/anchovies/black olives **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [December 12, 2022, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-dish-pizza-crust-caramelized-onions-anchovies-black-olives/976391 "2022-12-12T14:01:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-dish-pizza-crust-caramelized-onions-anchovies-black-olives/976391/1 "2022-12-12T14:01:49Z")
One of the most aggravating things about getting old is the way things vanish from your memory. Or at least become so elusive you can’t pull them back out without prompting. Anyway. I had a friend who would semi-often make a sort of pizza for get togethers. It was a standard type thin crust, every inch except the very rim smothered in thinly sliced onions that had been caramelized to a dark brown. On top of that she laid out anchovy fillets in a open diagonal grid (like the lines were maybe two inches apart) with a black olive placed at each intersection. There was no tomato or other sauce, no cheese, no other toppings. It was wonderfully rich and satisfying. Usually she made it in a sheet pan and cut it into smallish squares and had it as an appetizer at parties, but also once or twice she did it in a usual pizza pan and served wedges as a main course at dinner. She had a name for this dish, which she used as if it was a standard term that people would know versus some family nickname, which I CANNOT remember. A single word, maybe derived from ‘pizza’, not a multiword phrase like “pepperoni pizza” or “pizza florentine.” The family moved away decades ago, and she has been dead quite a long time, so I can’t just ask her. I have googled many times, but I cannot find the word I’m trying to remember. I can make the dish – it’s very simple after all! – but what is it called??? I don’t know if it’s relevant, but my friend was a French woman, from Montpelier. ---
**Author:** ![abcdefghij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/43a26b/32.png) [@abcdefghij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abcdefghij)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-dish-pizza-crust-caramelized-onions-anchovies-black-olives/976391/2 "2022-12-12T14:05:20Z")
[Pissaladière](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pissaladi%C3%A8re) ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-dish-pizza-crust-caramelized-onions-anchovies-black-olives/976391/3 "2022-12-12T14:15:19Z")
That’s it! Thank you! I think the reason I couldn’t find it was I always included ‘pizza’ in my search terms and the name apparently comes from pisces, no Zs. The picture is almost exactly what my friend’s looked like, but she caramelized the onions quite a bit darker. Once again the Dope comes through, in bare minutes! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-dish-pizza-crust-caramelized-onions-anchovies-black-olives/976391/4 "2022-12-12T14:25:31Z")
It would be great if all of life’s questions could be resolved this quickly and clearly. ---
**Author:** ![abcdefghij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/43a26b/32.png) [@abcdefghij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abcdefghij)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-dish-pizza-crust-caramelized-onions-anchovies-black-olives/976391/5 "2022-12-12T14:38:41Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > That’s it! Thank you! You’re welcome. I’m sure there are many subtle variations on the same theme around the Mediterranean, but “French woman, from Montpelier” was a dead giveaway. ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-dish-pizza-crust-caramelized-onions-anchovies-black-olives/976391/6 "2022-12-12T17:13:56Z")
They can be, but you don’t all listen to me! ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-dish-pizza-crust-caramelized-onions-anchovies-black-olives/976391/7 "2022-12-12T18:16:28Z")
That looks disgusting, and I want some NOW!!! ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-dish-pizza-crust-caramelized-onions-anchovies-black-olives/976391/8 "2022-12-12T18:42:45Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > I had a friend who would semi-often make a sort of pizza for get togethers. It was a standard type thin crust, every inch except the very rim smothered in thinly sliced onions that had been caramelized to a dark brown. On top of that she laid out anchovy fillets in a open diagonal grid (like the lines were maybe two inches apart) with a black olive placed at each intersection. That sounds awesome! ---
**Author:** ![RickG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rickg/32/5174_2.png) [@RickG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickG)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-dish-pizza-crust-caramelized-onions-anchovies-black-olives/976391/9 "2022-12-12T21:25:59Z")
Flatbread with onions and anchovies? That will be served at least once a week in my personal heaven. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-dish-pizza-crust-caramelized-onions-anchovies-black-olives/976391/10 "2022-12-12T21:50:32Z")
How had I never heard of this before?? ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-dish-pizza-crust-caramelized-onions-anchovies-black-olives/976391/11 "2022-12-12T22:01:44Z")
Because those of us who know and love it can’t remember the name? You can’t come across us talking about it, you have to be lucky enough to actually be served it. (Sounds like there are quite a few lovers of onions and anchovies here!) ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2022, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-dish-pizza-crust-caramelized-onions-anchovies-black-olives/976391/12 "2022-12-13T04:18:48Z")
That pissalat sounds great, too. > It is made from [anchovy](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchovy) puree flavoured with [cloves](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloves), [thyme](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thyme), [bay leaf](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_leaf) and [black pepper](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_pepper) mixed with [olive oil](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olive_oil). > [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > (Sounds like there are quite a few lovers of onions and anchovies here!) Olives, too! ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2022, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-dish-pizza-crust-caramelized-onions-anchovies-black-olives/976391/13 "2022-12-13T10:45:01Z")
It looks great. Shame about the olives.