Tarte Flambée Elsässer Flammkuchen Food

FLAMMKUCHEN/FLAMMEKUECHE (TARTE FLAMBEE)

Steps:

• Mix together the flour, oil, salt and water in a bowl. If it's too dry and won't come together, add a little more water, but it will be a relatively dry dough. Kneed for a minute then set aside while you prepare the toppings.
• Preheat the oven to 450F/230C. Line a large baking sheet/tray (half sheet) with parchment.
• Cut the bacon in to thin strips ('lardons') and cook in a small skillet/frying pan over a medium heat until they are just starting to brown. Remove from pan and set aside.
• Add the onions to the pan, along with the butter, and cook a few minutes until the onions have softened but are only just browning.
• Add the nutmeg, salt and pepper to the creme fraiche and mix well.
• Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a circle/oval as thin as you can (around 1/8in/3mm).
• Transfer the dough to the lined baking sheet then spread the creme fraiche over the top, leaving a space around the edge without any topping.
• Spread over the sauteed onions then top with the bacon, spreading them as evenly as you can. Top with the gruyere then bake for around 10 minutes until the edges are lightly brown and crisp and the toppings are just starting to color.

FLAMMKUCHEN (TARTE FLAMBEE)

Steps:

• Place 3 cups plus 3 tablespoons of flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Add yeast, 3 to 4 tablespoons of the lukewarm water, and sugar into the well and stir in a small amount of flour from the sides. Set aside until mixture is frothy, about 10 minutes.
• Pour in remaining water and olive oil. Mix with a wooden spoon until everything is well combined. Add 1 teaspoon salt and knead vigorously with your hands until dough holds together as a ball.
• Loosely cover dough with a clean dish towel and let rise in a warm, dry place until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes.
• Prepare the topping while dough rises. Stir 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and sour cream in a bowl until smooth; season with salt, pepper, and parsley.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll out 2 pieces as thinly as possible into long rectangles on a large piece of parchment, so both will fit on one baking sheet. Fold the sides of the dough pieces to form a 1/4-inch edge all around. Spread cream topping evenly across the dough and top each dough piece with 1/4 of the bacon and the onion rings. Transfer the 2 flammkuchen with the parchment paper onto a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and crisp, about 20 minutes. Repeat with the other 2 dough pieces.

TARTE FLAMBéE (FRENCH) OR FLAMMEKUECHE (GERMAN)

Steps:

• Dough:.
• Mix the starter ingredients together in a small bowl, cover tightly, and set aside in a warm place for 30 minutes.
• When the starter is light and bubbly, mix the beer and milk into the mixture.
• Put the flour and salt into a food processor, then, with the motor running, add the yeast mixture through the feeding tube. Process the dough until it forms a ball. Add very small amounts of additional flour or milk if necessary.
• Process the ball until it is smooth, elastic, and warm, about 45 seconds to 1 minute.
• Butter a medium-sized bowl, roll the ball around in the butter, then cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled. Punch down and let rise a second time.
• Heat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Oil a 14 x 16 inch baking sheet. Roll the dough until slightly smaller than the baking sheet. Place it on the sheet.
• Alsatian Tarte Flambee:.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a nonstick skillet. Add the onion and cook, stirring, over low heat for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool.
• Combine the crème fraîche, fromage blanc, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooled onion.
• Heat the remaining oil in the skillet and fry the bacon until lightly browned, stirring constantly. Remove and drain through a strainer.
• Spread the onion mixture over the dough, leaving a very small raised rim all the way around, then dot with the bacon.
• Baking:.
• Bake for 20 minutes, or until the tart is lightly browned.
• Variation - Arugula Tarte Flambee:.
• Instead of preparing the traditional Alsatian topping, proceed with baking the crust. Once the crust is baked, toss 2-3 handfuls of arugula with lemon vinaigrette. Top with shaved gruyere, olives and tomato.