Flammkuchen
Flammkuchen, literally "flame cake," began as a way for bakers in the border region of Baden and Alsace to test the temperature of a wood-fired oven: a thin scrap of bread dough, topped with whatever cream, onion, and bacon was on hand, was slid in first to see how fiercely the fire burned. If it baked and crisped within minutes, the oven was ready for the day's bread. The test dish became a specialty in its own right on both sides of the Rhine, known as Flammkuchen in German and tarte flambée in French, and today it is baked deliberately rather than as a byproduct, still rolled paper-thin and finished in only a few minutes at very high heat. The base of crème fraîche or fromage blanc, rather than tomato sauce, together with the smoky lardons and raw onion that turn sweet and lightly charred, is what sets it apart from Italian-style flatbreads.
Baked paper-thin and fast
The dough is rolled almost transparent and baked in a blisteringly hot oven for just a few minutes, the original test for a wood-fired baker's oven.
A creamy base, not tomato
A layer of crème fraîche or fromage blanc replaces tomato sauce, giving the flatbread a tangy, rich foundation.
Topped with bacon and onion
Thin lardons and raw onion rings crisp and caramelize in the intense heat while the edges of the dough char lightly.
Born on the German-French border
Shared by Baden and Alsace, it's known as Flammkuchen in German and tarte flambée in French.
Ingredients 4 servings
- 250g flour
- 1 tbsp oil, a pinch of salt, and 120ml water, for the dough
- 200g crème fraîche or fromage blanc
- 150g bacon lardons
- 2 onions, thinly sliced
- Fresh nutmeg, to taste
- Salt and black pepper
- A little oil, for greasing the pan
- Fresh chives, chopped, for serving
How to make it
- 1Mix the flour, oil, salt, and water into a smooth, firm dough, then let it rest for 20 minutes under a cloth.
- 2Preheat the oven as high as it will go, ideally 250°C or more, with a baking stone or tray inside.
- 3Roll the dough out as thinly as possible into a large oval or rectangle.
- 4Spread the crème fraîche evenly over the dough, leaving a thin border, and season it with salt, pepper, and a little nutmeg.
- 5Scatter the bacon lardons and sliced onion evenly across the top.
- 6Slide the flatbread onto the hot stone or tray and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are dark and crisp.
- 7Cut the Flammkuchen into strips right away and serve it hot, scattered with chives.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
