Tarte Flambée

Tarte Flambée (Alsatian Flammkuchen)

A classic Alsatian thin-bread tart topped with crème fraîche, thinly sliced onion, and lardons, baked at high heat so the edges crisp and char. It belongs to the same family as pizza but uses a dairy-rich base rather than tomato.

Prep

30 min

Cook

12 min

Total

42 min

Serves

4 (two 30 cm tarts)

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •250 g (8¾ oz / about 2 cups) bread flour, or all-purpose flour
• •125 ml (½ cup) lukewarm water
• •20 g (1½ Tbsp) olive oil or lard, lard is more traditional
• •5 g (1 tsp) fine sea salt
• •2 g (½ tsp) instant yeast, optional; gives a slightly puffier base
• •200 g (7 oz / about ¾ cup) crème fraîche, full-fat, the traditional base; sour cream is the closest substitute
• •1 large yellow onion, halved and sliced paper-thin, about 120 g / 4¼ oz
• •150 g (5¼ oz) lardons (smoked bacon), rind removed, cut into matchsticks; in Alsace, raw or lightly smoked pork belly is typical
• •1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg, essential to the flavor
• •1 tsp flaky sea salt, to finish
• •1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Steps

1. 1 Make the dough: combine flour, salt, yeast (if using), oil, and water in a bowl. Mix to a shaggy dough, then knead on a lightly floured surface for 6–8 minutes until smooth. It should feel firm and not tacky; add a little flour if sticky. Cover and rest at room temperature for 20–30 minutes.
2. 2 While the dough rests, prepare the topping: slice the onion as thinly as you can (a mandoline helps). Toss the lardons in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until just translucent and barely crisped; drain on paper towels - they will finish cooking on the tart.
3. 3 Divide the dough into two equal balls (about 150 g / 5¼ oz each). On parchment paper, roll each ball into a very thin oval or round, roughly 30 cm / 12 in across. The dough should be almost translucent at the edges - thinner than a typical pizza base.
4. 4 Heat a baking stone or heavy steel on a rack in the lowest position of the oven at 250 °C / 480 °F (or as hot as your oven goes) for at least 30 minutes. If using a heavy rimless sheet, preheat it on the rack.
5. 5 Spread each dough round with about 100 g / 3½ oz of crème fraîche in a thin, even layer, leaving a 1 cm / ½ in border. Sprinkle generously with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
6. 6 Scatter the sliced onion evenly over both tarts, then top with the lardons, distributing them to the edges. The topping should be sparse - you should still see crème fraîche in places.
7. 7 Slide the parchment (or transfer the tart on a peel) directly onto the hot stone/steel. Bake for 8–12 minutes, rotating once, until the base is blistered with dark brown spots and the edges are charred in places, not pale gold.
8. 8 Slice immediately and serve hot, traditionally with a crisp Riesling or a simple green salad dressed with mustard and walnut oil.