Alsatian Tart Recipes

TARTE FLAMBEE (ALSATIAN BACON & ONION TART)

Steps:

• Place bacon in a skillet and cook over medium-high heat until cooked but not crisp and fat has rendered out, about 8 minutes. Drain in a strainer; reserve the fat.
• Place skillet back over medium heat. Add sliced onions. Cook briefly just until they lose their raw edge and soften up slightly, 3 to 5 minutes. Add a teaspoon or 2 of bacon fat if pan seems too dry. Remove skillet from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Mix fromage blanc, creme fraiche, nutmeg, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper together in a mixing bowl.
• Place 1 ball of pizza dough on a well-floured surface. Flatten and roll out to a 10- or 12-inch thin circle. Transfer to a cold cast iron pan. Heat over medium-high heat to pre-cook the bottom of the crust. As dough heats and bubbles appear, deflate them with the tines of a fork so crust ends up thin and crisp (not chewy). When bottom is nicely browned and just about to start getting charred, 5 to 7 minutes, remove from heat. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Spread a generous amount of cheese mixture over the crust. Top evenly with some onions and then the bacon. Broil 5 or 6 minutes until edges are browned and starting to lift. Repeat for remaining tartes.

ALSATIAN CHEESE TART

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.
• Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 12-inch square, then transfer to a large baking sheet.
• Blend cottage cheese, sour cream, salt, and pepper in a blender until smooth.
• Cook bacon in a 10-inch skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until it just begins to brown, about 5 minutes. (Bacon should be tender, not crisp.) Remove from heat.
• Spread cheese mixture evenly over pastry, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Scatter bacon and onion on top, then sprinkle with parmesan. Bake until pastry is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Cut into 36 pieces and serve warm.

ALSATIAN ONION TART

Steps:

• Heat the oil and butter in a cast-iron or other heavy-based 10- to 12-inch skillet. Add the onions and sugar, season with salt and pepper, and sauté over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until lightly browned. Lower the heat and continue to cook the onions until very soft and evenly browned, stirring frequently, another 30 to 40 minutes; you may need to add a little more oil. When the onions are done, transfer them to a strainer and drain.
• Heat the oven to 375°F. If using a tart pan with a removable bottom, put it on a baking sheet. In a bowl, whisk the eggs and cream. Season with 3/4 tsp. salt, a scant 1/2 tsp. pepper, and the nutmeg. Add the drained onions and half of the cheese and blend thoroughly. Fill the prepared tart shell with the onions and custard. Top with the remaining cheese and bake until the tip of a knife comes out clean and the top of the tart is puffed and brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool for at least 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

ALSACE ONION TART

Steps:

• Make pastry:
• Blend together flour, butter, shortening, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Drizzle evenly with 4 tablespoons ice water and gently stir with a fork (or pulse in processor) until incorporated.
• Squeeze a small handful: If it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until just incorporated, then test again. (Do not overwork mixture, or pastry will be tough.)
• Turn out mixture onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 6 equal portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion. Gather dough together with pastry scraper and press into a ball, then flatten into a disk. Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Roll out dough on a floured surface with a floured rolling pin into a 14-inch round and fit into tart pan. Trim excess dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang, then fold overhang over pastry and press against side to reinforce edge. Lightly prick bottom with a fork and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.
• Line chilled shell with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake until pastry is set and pale golden along rim, 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights and bake shell until golden all over, 10 to 15 minutes more. Transfer shell to a rack. (Leave oven on.)
• Prepare filling while shell bakes:
• Cook bacon in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer bacon with a slotted spatula to paper towels to drain and pour off bacon fat. Add butter to skillet and cook onions with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper over moderate heat, stirring, until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Cover surface of onions with a round of parchment or wax paper (or cover skillet with a tight-fitting lid) and continue to cook, lifting parchment to stir frequently, until onions are very soft and pale golden, about 20 minutes. Stir in bacon, then remove from heat and cool 10 minutes.
• Whisk together crème fraîche, eggs, nutmeg, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl, then stir in onions.
• Fill and bake tart:
• Pour filling into tart shell, spreading onions evenly, and bake until filling is set and top is golden, 25 to 35 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

ALSATIAN TART

Steps:

• Pastry dough can be purchased in either your supermarket in the freezer section, or in a bakery which makes their own.
• Defrost pastry dough; roll out on lightly floured board to 1/4-inch thickness.
• Cut out 4 circles (using a 7" diameter salad or cake plate as a template).
• Prick dough with fork and refrigerate while preparing the filling.
• Cook bacon; drain and crumble; set aside.
• In one tablespoon of canola oil, saute sliced onion until golden.
• In a mixing bowl, combine cheese, creme fraiche, flour, salt and pepper and mix by hand until combined thoroughly.
• Remove pastry rounds from refrigerator, spread each round with cheese mixture.
• Sprinkle top with sauteed onions and arrange crumbled bacon.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Bake 15 minutes until done.
• Very rich and filling served with a salad and a glass of white wine.

ALSATIAN ONION TART

Steps:

• Step 1: make the crust - Mix the flour, salt and butter with your fingers or pulse in a food processor, until you get a crumbly consistency and pea-size bits of butter are still visible. Add the water, one tablespoon at a time, and mix until the dough roughly comes together into a ball; do not overmix. Add a few more splashes of water if you feel the dough is too crumbly/dry. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Pre-heat your oven to 350°F (180°C) with a rack in the middle.
• Grease and flour a 9-inch (22.9 cm) tart pan. Transfer the dough onto a floured working surface and roll it out to a 12-inch (31cm) circle. Transfer the crust to the tart pan. Cut any excess crust that hangs over the edges and crimp the edges (optional). Poke the bottom of the crust all over with a fork. Line the top of the crust with foil or parchment paper and place pie weights or dried beans over top, to keep the pie crust from puffing when baking.
• Bake the crust for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment paper filled with weights and set the crust aside. Leave your oven on at 350°F (180°C).
• Step 2 : Caramelize the onions - Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium-low heat. When the butter is sizzling, add the onions slices and stir to coat with the butter. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, spread the onions evenly onto the pan. Let the onions cook for 15 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes. The trick is to let the onions brown - so do not stir too often. But you don't want to let them burn either.
• After 15 minutes, when the onions should start to dry out, add salt and the beef stock. Stir to coat and continue cooking for about 15 more minutes, until the onions are melty and golden. Set aside.
• Step 3: Make the filling - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and the heavy cream. Add the black pepper and grated cheese. Adjust more seasoning if needed (salt, pepper).
• Step 4: Assemble the tart - Scatter the caramelized onions evenly onto the bottom of the pre-baked crust. Pour the prepared liquid filling over top. Sprinkle evenly with the caraway seeds.
• Bake for 25 minutes, until the crust starts to become golden - the middle will be slightly wobbly and puffy, and will firm up and deflate as it cools down. Transfer onto a cooling rack and let cool at least 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy it warm or at room temperature.

ALSATIAN SHRIMP AND DILL TART

Steps:

• Prepare the tart shell and set it aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Shell and devein the shrimp. Cut the shrimp crosswise into one-half- inch cubes. There should be about two cups.
• Carefully trim the leeks and rinse thoroughly between the leaves. Pat dry. Shred and chop the leeks. There should be about four cups.
• Heat the butter in a large skillet and add the leeks. Cook over low heat, stirring, until they are wilted, about four minutes.
• Add the shrimp, dill, salt, pepper and red-pepper flakes. Cook, stirring briefly, about one minute or less.
• Combine the egg, egg yolk, cream, milk and nutmeg in a mixing bowl and beat thoroughly. Add the shrimp mixture and stir to blend.
• Pour the mixture into the tart shell. Place a baking sheet in the oven. Put the filled tart shell on the sheet and bake 30 to 35 minutes or until the custard is set.

ALSATIAN ONION TART

Steps:

• Sift the flour into a large bowl then rub in the butter with your (clean) fingers until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Mix the egg yolks with the salt and 3 tablespoons water. Stir into the flour, using a knife, to make a soft and smooth (but not sticky) dough. Add the extra tablespoon of water if the mixture is too dry.
• Pat the dough into a ball, wrap up in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 220C/425°F.
• Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and use to line a 10-inch tart pan.
• Prick the pastry all over with a fork and bake blind for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
• Lower the temperature of the oven to 190C/375F and place a baking sheet in the oven to heat.
• Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the onions, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper. Cover and cook gently until the onions are soft and transparent, stirring occasionally.
• Add the wine and simmer, uncovered, until all the liquid has evaporated.
• Remove the bay leaf and taste for seasoning.
• Whisk the eggs and cream together.
• Spread the onions into the pastry crust and pour in the egg mixture.
• Place on the hot baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
• May be served hot or room temperature.

ALSATIAN POTATO PIE

Steps:

• Cover potatoes with water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add a pinch of salt; cook until just tender, 13 to 15 minutes. Drain. Let cool.
• Bring 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons cream, garlic, and nutmeg to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until mixture is reduced by half. Season with salt and pepper.
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add leek; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley; season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 400°. Whisk egg yolk and remaining 1 table- spoon cream in a small bowl; set aside. On a lightly floured surface, divide puff pastry into two 6-by-13-inch rectangles. Set one rectangle on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Top with half of potatoes, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around and overlapping slightly, then half of leek mixture and 3/4 cup cheese; season with salt and pepper. Repeat layering with remaining potatoes, leek mixture, and cheese. Brush edges of pastry with egg wash. Cover with remaining pastry rectangle; gently press edges with a fork to seal. Cut 2-inch slits lengthwise in center of crust, 2 inches apart. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with parsley sprigs. Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.
• Bake until golden brown and puffy, about 35 minutes. Remove from oven; pour cream mixture into pie vents with a funnel. Bake 10 minutes more. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

ALSATIAN BEEF AND MUSHROOM TART

Steps:

• Prepare the tart shell and set it aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Heat two teaspoons of the butter in a skillet and add the onions. Cook, stirring, until they are wilted. Add the beef and cook, stirring and breaking up any lumps with the side of a heavy metal spoon. Cook until the meat has lost its raw look. If any fat has accumulated, drain it off in a sieve and discard it.
• Add the remaining butter, the mushrooms, green pepper, celery, marjoram, salt and pepper.
• Combine the whole egg, egg yolk, cream, milk and chives or scallions in a mixing bowl and beat thoroughly. Add the meat mixture and stir to blend.
• Pour the mixture into the tart shell. Place a baking sheet in the oven. Put the filled tart shell on the sheet and bake 30 to 35 minutes or until the custard is set.