Flammkuchen (French – German Pizza)
Flammkuchen (pronounced flam-KOOK-en) in German, or Flammekueche (pronounced flam-KOOCHE) or tarte flambé in French, comes from the Alsace region of France (just across Germany’s southwestern border with France).
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ cup water
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
For the Toppings:
- 1 cup crème fraîche, 1 cup Greek yogurt or slightly over 1 cup plain yogurt, strained
- ¼ tsp. nutmeg
- ¼-pound bacon, diced
- 2 onions, halved and thinly sliced
- Ground black pepper
- Cornmeal, for the pan
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 500°F.
- In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, water and oil.
- Mix until a dough begins to form; turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it is soft and smooth; 3 – 5 minutes; set the dough aside and cover with a towel.
- In a small bowl, mix together crème fraîche and nutmeg; set aside.
- In a large sauté pan, sauté bacon, over medium high heat, until it is cooked about halfway to crisp; 2 – 4 minutes.
- Remove the bacon, keeping the grease in the pan, to a paper towel lined plate; set aside.
- Place the sliced onions into the hot bacon grease and sauté, over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until caramelized; 10 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat.
- Roll and stretch the dough out into a rectangle; roughly 11 x 16-inches.
- Place the dough onto a large baking sheet which has been generously dusted with cornmeal.
- Spread the crème fraîche mixture over the crust, leaving just a little bare crust border.
- Distribute the caramelized onions over the crème fraîche, and sprinkle the bacon over the onions.
- Finish everything off with a dusting of black pepper.
- Place the pizza into the pre-heated oven and bake for 15 – 20 minutes, until the pizza is crisp and the edges are starting to darken.
- Remove from the oven, cut and serve immediately.
Notes
To strain the yogurt, place in a couple layers of cheesecloth, in a fine mesh sieve, over a bowl, for 20 – 30 minutes.