What is it?
Flammekueche, aka tarte flambée, aka flammenküche, is a yummy pizza-like dish. It has a very thin dough base which is spread with a creamy layer of crème fraîche or fromage blanc and then topped with thinly sliced onions and lardons. Sometimes it has Gruyère cheese added (gratinée) or mushrooms (forestière) or Munster cheese (au Munster). There are also sweet versions with apples or blueberries and it can be flambéed with Calvados.
Where’s it from?
It sounds German, doesn’t it? Not surprising as it hails from Alsace, which switched nationality between German and French four times between 1870 and 1945. Traditionally, flammekueche was made by farmers in their wood-fired ovens as a way of checking the oven was hot enough to bake bread. It made its way from the farmhouse to the restaurant in the 1960s when pizza became popular.
So how’s it different from pizza?
Unlike pizza, flammekueche doesn’t have a layer of tomato sauce beneath the cheese and other toppings.
How do you say it?
Flam-kush.
Where can I buy it?
Obviously, it’ll be on many a menu in its homeland of Alsace but elsewhere it’s rather more rare. If you’re in the UK, you can order tarte flambée with lardons, onion and crème fraîche by Unearthed from several of the major supermarkets.
Can I make it at home?
Nothing could be easier! Have a go at our easy-peasy recipe:
Ingredients:
1 cup crème fraîche or fromage blanc
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4-6 slices of chopped bacon (or lardons), cooked
Salt and pepper to taste
For the dough:
10 g active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
235 ml lukewarm water
310 g all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Method:
For the dough:
1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water, stirring until it activates (bubbles appear).
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the flour, salt, sugar, oil, and yeast mixture.
3. Mix on low speed until a smooth dough forms. If kneading by hand, knead the dough for 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Shape the dough into a ball, cover, and let it rise for 30 minutes.
To make the flammekueche:
1. Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C).
2. Roll out the pizza dough into a rectangle or oval shape.
3. Spread the crème fraîche or fromage blanc evenly over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
4. Arrange the sliced onions and cooked bacon on top of the creamy base.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for about 10-12 minutes or until the crust is crispy and the toppings are golden.
7. Slice and serve hot.
Where can I find out more?
Check out the Confrérie du veritable Flammekueche, which celebrates and protects the traditions of tarte flambée and wood-fired baking. Their website has a handy list of establishments serving authentic Flammekueche so be sure to check it out before you visit Alsace.
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