Flammkuchen aka Tarte Flambée (Authentic Recipe)
Tarte Flambée or Flammkuchen (known as German pizza in the US) is a thin flatbread topped with creme fraiche, thinly sliced onions and smoked bacon lardons. Traditionally it is baked at extremely high temperatures in wood-fired ovens. This Flammkuchen recipe is calibrated to help you bake a delicious traditionally topped flatbread in your home oven.
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Servings: 4
Calories: 739kcal
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 teaspoon active yeast pizza yeast preferred*
- ½ tablespoon sugar
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (or half rye flour, half all-purpose flour)**
- 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Topping
- 1 tablespoon clarified butter or cooking oil
- 3 onions
- 6 oz smoked bacon thick cut, not too fatty
- 7 oz creme fraiche or sour cream
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds optional
Instructions
- Sift the flour. Combine the yeast, sugar and water in a bowl and let the yeast activate.
- Add the flour, salt and oil and mix until a dough forms.
- If using a stand-up mixer, let it work on the dough for a couple of minutes.
- If kneading by hand, knead actively onto a floured surface for 5 minutes.
- Cover the dough and let rest in a warm spot for about 1 hour.
- In the meantime cut the bacon into small, thin strips and thinly slice the onions.
- Heat the clarified butter or cooking oil over medium heat and cook the bacon until it just begins to get crispy. Move it to drain over a paper towel.
- In the same pan with the grease left from the bacon, saute the onions. When translucent move away from the heat and let them cool off.
- Mix the creme fraiche or sour cream with the yolk, salt and pepper, nutmeg.
- Heat the oven to 425 F.
- Knead the dough for a minute and divide it into portions (8 for appetizer sized or 4 for bigger flammkuchen).
- Roll out the dough pieces thinly and place then onto parchment paper lined baking sheets.
- Spread creme fraiche mixture over each tart, top with onions, bacon and sprinkle with caraway seeds. Bake for 20 minutes or until the edges begin to darken.
- Serve right away.
Notes
This recipe yields 4 large individual tarts or 8 smaller appetizer-sized ones. We like making the smaller ones because they seem to bake more evenly in a home oven.
One serving is 2 small or 1 large tart.
If you are short on time feel free to use store bought pizza dough. Bring it to room temperature and roll it out thin as per the recipe.
*If you'd rather not use yeast, also omit the sugar. Combine the sifted flour, salt and 3 tablespoon oil (instead of 1) together and slowly add the warm water (most likely will only need ¾ cup). Mix by hand or use a mixer. Move to floured surface, knead until the dough is elastic and let it rest covered for about an hour.
**Be prepared to add more flour, as needed if dough turns out a bit wet. This is likely if you are located in Europe.
Tarte flambee is traditionally eaten by hand. People commonly roll up large slices and eat them end to end.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 739kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Saturated Fat: 15.3g | Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 160mg | Fiber: 4.7g | Sugar: 5.5g
