Flammkuchen
Flammkuchen (or “Flammekueche” in Alsatian; “Tarte flambée” in French) is a thin, crispy flatbread that has its roots in the German-French border region. It’s a staple at German Christmas markets, but can really be had year-round. It’s traditionally baked in a wood-fired oven and topped with thinly sliced onions and bacon cubes. There are countless variations ranging from savoury to sweet. We describe some of our favorite toppings below, all of which pair well with a green salad and a cold glass of white wine.
Ingredients:
(makes 4 medium-sized Flammkuchen)
For the dough
375g flour
185ml water
3 tbsp olive oil
1 generous pinch of salt
For the base
250g sour cream or crème fraîche (or “Schmand” if you are in Germany)
Note: The fat content of these varies from country to country. You’ll want something with around 20% - 30% fat.1 generous pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 pinch of paprika powder
Salt & pepper to taste
For the toppings
The traditional Alsatian version:
Bacon cubes
Thinly sliced onion
Pumpkin & thyme:
Hokkaido pumpkin, very thinly sliced
Fresh thyme
Mushrooms & cheese:
Thinly sliced mushrooms
Finely grated smoked Scamorza cheese
Chopped parsley
Goat cheese & honey:
Goat cheese
Honey
Walnuts
Special Equipment Needed:
Rolling pin
Instructions:
In a large bowl, combine flour, water, oil, and salt. Use a wooden spoon to roughly combine everything to form a shaggy dough.
Turn the dough onto a work surface and knead for 5-10 minutes until a smooth and supple dough forms. If the dough sticks to your hands, add a small amount of flour and continue kneading.
Wrap the dough ball tightly in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for ±30 minutes.
Preheat your oven on conventional heat at the highest temperature it allows (ours goes up to 250°C). If you own a pizza stone or steel, preheat that as well. Alternatively, you can turn a baking tray upside down and preheat that along with the oven. The goal is a super crispy crust, so the more heat the better.
Meanwhile, take a small bowl and combine the sour cream with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
Unwrap the dough and divide into four equal parts. Keep the pieces you are not using covered with foil to prevent them from drying out.
Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. If you can’t find your rolling pin, a bottle of wine will do the trick. Roll out the dough as thinly as possible. Keep dusting it with flour and turn it over to make sure you will be able to lift it off the surface.
Note: A rectangular shape is traditional, but you can (obviously) roll it into any shape you like.Place the dough onto parchment paper or a pizza peel to make sure you can easily transfer it into the oven.
Spread an even layer of the sour cream base on the dough and leave only a very narrow crust.
Add a generous amount of the toppings of your choice and, depending on the heat of your oven, bake for ±10 minutes until you have a very crispy crust and slightly charred toppings.
Rinse and repeat with the remaining three dough balls. Serve with a green salad and a glass of cold white wine.
Enjoy!
