Pissaladière with Oyster Mushrooms and Black Forest Ham

Directions

1. The Dough (Like a brioche with a touch of olive oil . . . .)
2. Proof the yeast in ½ cup of warm water with the pinch of the sugar. (See note below.)
3. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, oil, honey and salt. Add 1 cup of flour and beat well. Add the melted butter and beat well until combined.
4. Add 1 cup of flour and beat some more. Then add the yeast and water mixture, assuming that the proofed yeast has procreated prolifically (doubling at least in volume), along with the third cup of flour. Beat well.
5. Add the final cup of flour and beat nice and hard. If it's too difficult to stir once all the flour has been added, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead the remaining flour into the dough. Don't add any more.
6. Knead only until the flour is fully incorporated. The dough should feel very moist, but it won't be sticky. It should be fairly easy to work with, as it's got so much fat in it.
7. Put into a well-oiled bowl, turn it to coat, then cover the bowl with a damp tea towel, and let it rise for 1/2 hour at room temperature. Then refrigerate it for at least 5 -6 hours, or up to 36 hours. (Use 2 teaspoons of yeast if you know you'll be letting it rise for 24 hours or more.)
8. Take the dough out and let it sit at room temperature for at least an hour before shaping.
9. You can also do a quick rise, at room temperature, for about 1 ½ hours.
10. NB: To make a more interesting crust, I use, instead of the four cups of all-purpose flour, 2/3 cup barley flour, ¼ cup toasted wheat germ, ¼ cup semolina, ¼ cup rye flour, and 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour. I also add fresh herbs. I like a 2 - 1 ratio of fresh marjoram and rosemary, both finely chopped. For one rectangular pissaladiere, I use a tablespoon of chopped marjoram and 1 1/2 teaspoon chopped rosemary. Fresh thyme and winter savory are also good choices. ;o)

1. The Deconstructed Duxelles -- and Instructions for Assembling and Baking
2. In a large skillet, cook the sliced onions in one tablespoon of butter and one tablespoon of oil with a pinch of salt, stirring occasionally, until soft and a light golden brown. This should take 25 to 30 minutes, or longer, depending on how low the heat is.
3. In another large skillet, cook the bacon until crispy or the ham (using one tablespoon of oil) until lightly browned. Remove and drain the skillet of all but one tablespoon of fat. Add another tablespoon of butter to the skillet.
4. Saute the chopped mixture in the skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, for five to ten minutes, until the mushrooms stop releasing liquid.
5. Coarsely chop the bacon if using. Add it (or the cooked ham) and the herbs and garlic to the skillet with the mushrooms, and cook for another minute over medium heat.
6. Push the mushrooms aside, so you can deglaze the pan with the wine over medium heat, stirring constantly. Test for salt and correct.
7. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Roll out the dough and press it with your fingers into two rectangles that are about 10" x 14". Fold the edges inward about an inch all around, to create a rim on the rectangle.
8. Layer, in this order, the grated cheese, the onions, and then the mushroom mixture. Then grind some good black pepper over the mixture.
9. Bake in the middle of the oven. Cook for a total of 25 – 30 minutes. The crust should be a nice medium brown.
10. Enjoy!! ;o) P.S. I will be updating this soon to add instructions for using a spice mixture, added while cooking the mushrooms, which I've incorporated since first posting this recipe last year.