Flammkuchen / Tarte Flambée (German Pizza with Bacon and Onions)
Flammkuchen (aka Tarte Flambée) is a flatbread-style pizza with German and French origins. It features a thin crust topped with crème fraîche, onions, and bacon. It's absolutely delicious, yet considerably simple to make!
100grams(3 ½ ounces) thick-cut bacondiced into ¼-inch pieces or sliced into ¼-inch wide strips
Chopped chivesoptional garnish
Instructions
Preheat the oven to its highest setting (usually 500°F/250°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl mix the flour, water, olive oil, and salt until roughly combined. Continue to knead it by hand until soft and smooth (it shouldn’t be sticky or wet; if it is, add more flour). You can also mix and knead the dough in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Cover the dough with a clean tea towel so it doesn’t dry out, and set aside at room temperature while you prepare the toppings (refrigerating the dough will make it more difficult to roll out).
Combine the crème fraîche with the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Set aside.
Lightly dust your work surface with flour and place the dough on top. Lightly dust the top of the dough with more flour, and roll it out very thinly into an oval or rough rectangle, about 10-by-14-inches. It should roll out very easily.
Transfer the dough onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet. You can carefully wrap it around the rolling pin or gently fold it in half to transfer over, then unwrap/unfold once it’s on the baking sheet.
Spread the crème fraîche and nutmeg mixture evenly over the dough leaving a ½-inch border free at the edges.
Evenly distribute the onions and bacon over the top.
Bake for 14 to 18 minutes until crisp and golden brown at the edges and the toppings are starting to just brown.
Remove from the oven, cut into 6 squares with a sharp chef’s knife, sprinkle with chives if desired, and serve immediately.
Notes
Crème fraîche is a thick, French, soured cream. It's becoming more common in many grocery stores. You can usually find it in the dairy section near the yogurts and sour creams or possibly near the cheeses (that’s where I find it at Whole Foods). If you can’t find it, try a combination of sour cream and Greek yogurt to yield a similar flavor and texture.
It’s best to enjoy flammkuchen the day it’s cooked. However, you can reheat leftovers in an oven or toaster oven until hot. I find it's not quite as crispy after reheating though. Leftover flammkuchen also tastes good cold or at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days.
My flammkuchen baked in a 500°F electric oven for 18 minutes to get the results you see in the photos. A gas oven may take a bit less time. Just keep an eye on it and remove it from the oven when it’s done to your liking.