Protein: Pork, Bacon
Method: Oven or Pizza Oven
Jump to RecipeTarte flambée, also known as Flammekueche, is a thin-crust pizza hailing from the Alsace region on the French border with Germany. This iconic dish is a cultural fusion pulling cultural influences from both countries and boasts a delightfully cracker-like crust and a creamy, savory topping. Most traditionally this classic tart is topped with thinly sliced onion and smoky bacon. This is the perfect recipe for making in an Ooni or other pizza oven but turns out great in a home oven as well.
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Tarte Flambée: A Savory Treat from the French-German Border
Today, we'll delve into the world of tarte flambée, exploring traditional methods and offering tips for making this delicious dish at home, even without a fancy pizza oven!
I was first introduced to this classic Alsatian dish during a trip through the Alsace region of Eastern France. This beautiful region pulls influence from both France and Germany and has been part of both countries over its history.
Its small towns were said to be the inspiration for the villages in Beauty and the Beast. Along with the amazing architecture and quaint villages, we also fell in love with the region's food.
Making Tarte Flambee at home
To make the Alsatian thin crust pizza you will need to make a simple dough, select a cheese for the "sauce" base, and gather your toppings.
The Base: Yeast Dough vs. Unleavened Options
Traditionally, tarte flambée features a thin yeast dough. You can make your own using a stand mixer with a dough hook or follow a good recipe for homemade dough. If you're short on time, store-bought pizza dough (regular or whole wheat) can work in a pinch. With a yeasted dough it can sometimes be difficult to achieve that cracker thin crust, so some people have taken to using an unleavened dough in the recipe. We prefer using an unleavened dough as it has given us the most consistent results with the cracker thin crust that we enjoyed in France.
To make the tarte flambee dough combine the flour, water, salt, baking powder, and oil in a stand mixer.
Mix the dough until well combined and formed into a ball. Scape the sides of the bowl as needed to incorporate all of the flour. The dough should be uniform but not sticky. If the dough still seems too wet, add a little more flour and continue to mix. You should be able to pinch the dough between your fingers without it sticking.
Once the dough is formed, place the dough ball on a lightly floured surface and knead for about 3-5 minutes. Cover the dough with a warm towel and rest for about 30 minutes.
When you are ready to make the French style pizzas, divide the dough into 2 equal sized balls.
Traditional cheese for Flammkuchen: Fromage Blanc vs. Crème Fraîche
The classic topping for tarte flambée is a creamy cheese base. In France, they use a spreadable cheese called fromage blanc that is typically mixed with a little creme fraiche. Fromage blanc is a slightly tangy, spreadable cheese. Creme Fraiche is a slightly tangy cream and should be readily available at most grocery stores.
In the US, this combination may be harder to find so you may need to use a substitute. Here are some other options if you are unable to find the traditional fromage blanc or creme fraiche:
- Spreadable Farmer's Cheese: Our favorite substitution for fromage blanc is a spreadable Farmer's style cheese. For our pizzas we typically use a Sheep milk cheese from Green Dirt Farms.
- Quark: Quark is a German style Cream Cheese that can work as a replacement for the fromage blanc.
- Sour Cream: A more readily available substitute, though slightly more tart than crème fraiche.
- Greek Yogurt: Plain Greek yogurt, thinned with a bit of milk or olive oil, can work in a pinch as a substitute for the creme fraiche.
- Cream Cheese: While not traditional, some folks enjoy the richness cream cheese brings. We would typically only use this as a last resort.
Combine the spreadable cheese and creme fraiche in a small bowl and mix until well combined.
Building Your Masterpiece: Traditional Toppings and Techniques
Now comes the fun part – the toppings!
Onions: Thinly sliced white onions or sweet onions are the classic choice. Many of the onion tarts that we tried had raw onions on top but there were some with sauteed onions and these were our favorite. Sauté them in olive oil over medium heat until caramelized for an extra layer of flavor.
When sauteing the onions we like to season them with a little salt and pepper and a dash of herbes de Provence.
Bacon: Traditionally, tarte flambée features thinly sliced Alsatian bacon (similar to thick-cut bacon) or bacon lardons are used. Any thick cut bacon or pancetta can used as well for a delicious twist.
Black Pepper: A generous sprinkle of freshly cracked black pepper is a must.
Other toppings that we came across included greens like fresh arugula, and a balsamic vinegar drizzle.
Assembling the Flammkuchen
To assemble the French pizza, roll the dough as thin on a well-floured surface. Typically, tarte flambe is rolled into an oblong shape. Top the dough with the cheese spread then transfer to a floured pizza peel.
Next, top with the bacon and onions.
Give the pizza a couple shakes to make sure it is not stuck to the peel, before transferring the pizza to the oven for cooking.
The Art of Baking: Oven vs. Pizza Oven
Traditionally, tarte flambée is cooked in a scorching hot wood oven, resulting in a beautifully blistered crust. We have been able to achieve a similar result at home making the French tart in both our home oven and in our Ooni pizza oven.
Making Flammekeche in a home oven
For best results, when making a tarte flambee in a home oven, use a pizza stone or baking steel.
Preheat your oven to its highest setting (ideally 450°F or higher) and bake directly on a preheated pizza stone for a crispy crust. It typically only takes a few minutes to cook the thin crust pizza so keep an eye on to make sure the bottom of the crust is not burning.
If you don't have a pizza stone, a preheated baking sheet can work, although the crust may not be quite as crispy.
Making Flammekeche in an Ooni pizza oven
Our favorite way to make the Alsatian tarte flambee is in a pizza oven like an Ooni. Heat the pizza oven to 500-600 degrees and allow the pizza stones to preheat for at least 30 minutes. The recipe can be made using a wood fire oven for a smokier flavor, or gas-powered pizza oven for simplicity.
Carefully slide the tarte flambee into the pizza oven and cook for about 90 seconds. Spin the pizza and cook for about another minute. Spin the pizza to cook any undercooked edges. Typically, authentic tarte flambee has nicely browned crispy edges and a thin crispy cracker like crust.
Once the pizza is done cooking remove it from the pizza oven and on to a cutting board or pizza pan. The pizza it typically cut into square slices, or a party cut.
Be sure to try more of our great pizza recipes and pizza inspired recipes:
- Chicago Tavern Style Pizza
- Pequod's Inspired Cast Iron Pizza
- Pizza Oven Sausage and Pepperoni Stromboli
- Pizza Oven Meatball Grinders
- Wood Fire Pizza Dip
- Traditional Turkish Pide: Turkish Flatbread Pizza
- Best Homemade Sicilian Style Pizza
- Detroit Style Pizza on Your BBQ Grill
- Ooni Apple Crisp Dessert Pizza
Tips for Success:
- Room Temperature Dough: Let your dough come to room temperature before stretching for best results.
- Thin Crust: Tarte flambée is all about the thin crust. Use a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface to achieve a thin, even layer of dough.
- Don't Overcrowd: Don't overload your dough with toppings, as this can make it soggy.
Beyond the Classics: Exploring Different Toppings
While the classic tarte flambée reigns supreme, feel free to get creative with your toppings! Here are some ideas:
- Vegetarian: Swap the bacon for caramelized onions, roasted vegetables.
- Gourmet: Goat cheese with caramelized pears and walnuts makes for a delightful twist.
- Seasonal: Roasted asparagus with a drizzle of balsamic reduction is a delicious spring or summer option.
Tarte flambée is a versatile and delicious dish that's perfect for a light lunch, appetizer, or even a main course. With a little practice, you can create this iconic dish in your own kitchen, no matter your experience level. So grab some dough, cheese, and onions, and get ready to embark on a culinary adventure to eastern France!
Frequently Asked Questions
Tarte flambée hails from the Alsace region of France, which borders Germany.
"Tarte flambée" translates to "flamed tart" in French. The German name, "Flammekueche," translates similarly to "flame cake." This refers to the high heat at which the dish is traditionally cooked.
The classic topping for tarte flambée is a creamy base like crème fraîche or fromage blanc (a spreadable fresh cheese) topped with thinly sliced onions and sometimes lardons (bacon bits).
Yes! Tarte flambée and Flammekueche are essentially the same dish with different names depending on the region.
Tarte flambée is typically cut into squares for easy sharing and eaten with your hands.
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📖 Recipe
French Tarte Flambee Style Pizza
Ingredients
Dough
- 285 Grams Flour
- 175 ml Water
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
Sauce
- 2 Ounces Creme Fraiche
- 4 Ounces Fresh Farmer's Cheese or similar spreadable cheese
Toppings
- 1 Sweet Onion Thinly Sliced
- 4 Slices Bacon
- 4 Ounces Pancetta
Instructions
Dough
- In a stand mixer, combine the flour, water, salt, baking powder, and oil. Mix until the dough is evenly combined and forms a ball around the hook. Scape the sides of the bowl as needed. If the dough still seems too wet, add flour a tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. You should be able to lightly pinch the dough between your fingers, without it sticking.
- Next, knead the dough for about 5 minutes, then ball and cover with a warm damp towel while you prepare the rest of the pizza.
- When you are ready to make the pizzas, divide the dough into 2 equal sized balls.
Cheese "Sauce"
- Combine the Farmer's Cheese or fromage blanc with the creme fraiche in a small bowl stir well to combine. *SEE NOTE
Toppings
- Thinly slice the onions. If desired, you can use them raw or season them with a little salt and pepper and sauté them briefly.
Topping and cooking the tarte flambee
- Preheat your pizza oven or oven with a pizza stone or pizza steel to at least 450 degrees and allow the stone to preheat for at least 30 minutes.
- On a well-floured surface, roll the dough as thinly as possible. Roll into an oblong shape.
- Move one of the rolled-out doughs to a well-floured pizza peel and spread half of the cheese on the dough. Top with some of the onion and bacon and sprinkle with a little black pepper.
- Carefully slide the pizza into the oven and cook for about 90 seconds. Rotate the pizza 180 degrees and cook for another 90 seconds. Remove from the oven when the crust is cooked through. It is normal for the edges to be a little charred or browned, but do not let the bottom of the crust burn. The pizza will cook quickly.
- Remove the tarte flambe from the oven and cut into square pieces.
- Cook the 2nd pizza as described above.
- Enjoy the flammekueche while warm with some Reisling or Alsatian wine.
Notes
- You can substitute Quark or cream cheese for the fromage blanc or Farmer's Cheese. Substitute sour cream or use Greek yogurt thinned with a little oil or milk for the creme fraiche. While this will not give you the exact flavor it will get you close.
Chris
Turned out great. We added some goat cheese and it was a hit.