With a latticework of whole anchovies and dark olives on top of a bed of caramelised onions and garlic, this provençal classic – originally from Nice – is comforting and delicious.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 3-4 tbsp olive oil
• 6 medium size onions, peeled and very thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and very thinly sliced
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 sprigs thyme
• 3 large yellow cloves
• Salt, to taste
• 1 lb of anchovies
• 200g shop-bought puff pastry
• 1 small handful niçoise olives

Directions

1. Coat the bottom of a heavy frying pan with olive oil. Heat, then add the onions, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, cloves and salt. Cover, then stew over a medium heat for 1 hour or more, stirring frequently, until the onions are completely soft and reduced to about one third of their original volume. They should turn a pale golden colour, but not brown. Meanwhile, rinse and fillet the anchovies.
2. Prepare the puff pastry tart shell as per packet instructions. Strain the onion mixture, reserving the liquid. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.
3. Spread the onion mixture over the prebaked tart shell. Garnish with the anchovy fillets in neat diagonal lines to create a diamond pattern. Put a niçoise olive at the centre of each gap in the grid.
4. Put the tart in the oven for 10 minutes to allow the anchovy and olives to bake into the onions. Just before serving, drizzle the tart with the reserved onion liquid.