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Tarte Flambée

Tarte Flambée or Flammekueche, is a traditional dish from Alsace, similar to a thin-crust pizza topped with crème fraîche, onions, and lardons or bacon. If you're dining in Alsace, the dough may be cracker-crisp and made with no yeast. Sadie, however, enjoys a puffier pizza-style crust. She also can't resist adding cheese. It's also yummy without the meat for a vegetarian version.

Ingredients
For the dough:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup warm water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon dry yeast
For the topping:
  • 3/4 cup crème fraîche (see note below)
  • 1 large white or yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 7 ounces (approximately) lardons or bacon, diced or cut into small strips
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • A pinch of nutmeg (optional but tasty)
  • 1/4 - 1/2 cup grated Gruyère cheese, other pizza cheese, or rounds of goat cheese (optional, although Sadie would say there's no question and she would probably add even more)
  • Fresh chives, parsley, or basil for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Prepare the dough:

  1. In a largish bowl, mix the flour and salt. Dissolve the yeast and sugar in warm water an let sit for a few minutes until bubbly.

  2. Add the yeast mixture and the olive oil to the dry ingredients. Mix until a dough forms.

  3. Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 7 to 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. You can also knead in a food processor or mixer, according to their dough instructions.

  4. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled. A microwave with a mug of steaming hot water inside makes a great proofing box.

Prepare the toppings:

  1. Slice the onion as thinly as possible.

  2. In a skillet, cook the lardons or bacon until crispy. Drain on paper towels

  3. Add the crème fraîche to a mixing bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg, if desired.

  4. Stir in the onions.

Assemble the Tarte Flambée:

  1. Preheat your oven to its highest setting (around 500 degrees (F) if possible). If you have a pizza stone, place it in the oven to heat up for at least half an hour.

  2. Stretch the dough very thinly on a floured surface. Transfer the dough to a pizza peel (if using a pizza stone) or to your pizza pan.

  3. Spread the crème fraîche and onion mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.

  4. Scatter the cooked lardons or bacon on top. Add cheese if using.

Bake:

  1. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden and crispy and the onions and cheese are lightly browned.

  2. If using a pizza stone, your Tarte Flambée may cook faster, so keep an eye on it.

Serve:

  1. Remove from the oven, garnish with herbs if desired, and serve immediately. Bon appétit!

Note:

  1. If you can't find crème fraîche, sour cream (regular or full-fat) will work in a pinch. With a bit of googling, you could also experiment with making your own crème fraîche with the simple ingredients of cream, buttermilk and time.