Alsatian Tarte FlambÉe 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.

FLAMMKUCHEN (TARTE FLAMBEE)

Steps:

• Place 3 cups plus 3 tablespoons of flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Add yeast, 3 to 4 tablespoons of the lukewarm water, and sugar into the well and stir in a small amount of flour from the sides. Set aside until mixture is frothy, about 10 minutes.
• Pour in remaining water and olive oil. Mix with a wooden spoon until everything is well combined. Add 1 teaspoon salt and knead vigorously with your hands until dough holds together as a ball.
• Loosely cover dough with a clean dish towel and let rise in a warm, dry place until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes.
• Prepare the topping while dough rises. Stir 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and sour cream in a bowl until smooth; season with salt, pepper, and parsley.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll out 2 pieces as thinly as possible into long rectangles on a large piece of parchment, so both will fit on one baking sheet. Fold the sides of the dough pieces to form a 1/4-inch edge all around. Spread cream topping evenly across the dough and top each dough piece with 1/4 of the bacon and the onion rings. Transfer the 2 flammkuchen with the parchment paper onto a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and crisp, about 20 minutes. Repeat with the other 2 dough pieces.

ALSATIAN TARTE FLAMBEE

Steps:

• On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry to 1/8-inch thickness.
• Cut into disks about 3-1/4 to 4 inches in diameter and place on a wax paper-lined baking sheet.
• Leave in freezer until dough is frozen.
• Mix together quark, cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Remove crusts from freezer.
• Poke pastry with a fork.
• Spread cheese mixture equally on each crust.
• Sprinkle with onion and bacon.
• Bake on bottom rack of oven for ten minutes, or until bottoms of pizzas are a dark, golden brown.
• Serve warm.

TARTE FLAMBEE (ALSATIAN PIZZA)

Steps:

• Put the flour and salt in a mixing bowl or in the work bowl of a food processor.
• In a measuring cup, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and stir in the sugar.
• Add to the flour all at once and stir or motor until smooth.
• Be careful not to over-process.
• Cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow it to rise, undisturbed, for 45 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and rub two large baking sheets with a little vegetable oil.
• Divide the dough into four parts, and on a well-floured surface, roll each part into an 8-inch round.
• Put the rounds on the oiled baking sheets and set aside.
• Combine the fromage blanc or cottage cheese, the crème fraîche and the 1 tablespoon of flour and stir or process until smooth.
• Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until some of the fat is released, then add the sliced onion and cook 2 or 3 minutes, or until the onion is barely softened.
• Distribute the cheese evenly between the rounds of dough and spread it up to the edges.
• Sprinkle the bacon and onions on top.
• Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
• Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until the pastry is browned.
• Serve hot.