Best Johns Flammekueche Recipes

FLAMMEKUECHE

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in bowl of a large mixer. Mix with a dough hook for 5 to 7 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally, until dough forms a sticky ball on the end of the hook. Transfer dough to a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, approximately 1 hour. Punch down and divide into 6 equal pieces. Place 1 piece of dough on a floured board and coat with flour. With a floured rolling pin, roll out dough into a rough rectangle, approximately 10 inches to 12 inches across and 1/8-inch thick using plenty of flour on both sides of dough at all times. Repeat with remaining dough. Place on parchment-lined cookie sheets. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the topping. Dough can be prepared 1 day in advance, wrapped and refrigerated, until ready to roll.
• For the topping: In large bowl whisk together first 8 ingredients.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. and place racks close to bottom of oven. Spread 1/2 cup topping on each piece of rolled dough. Sprinkle with onions and then bacon. Bake until brown and crisp, approximately 10 minutes, rotating sheets midway through to brown evenly. Repeat with remaining dough and topping. Cut into squares and serve immediately.

FLAMMEKUECHE (THIN-CRUSTED CHEESE, ONION AND BACON TART)

Steps:

• Combine the water, yeast and one cup of the flour in a large mixing bowl. Stir until thoroughly blended and set aside to proof the yeast, about five minutes.
• Once proofed, add the salt, then begin adding the remaining flour, little by little, until the dough is too stiff to stir. Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and begin kneading, adding additional flour if the dough is too sticky. Knead until the dough is smooth and satiny, about 10 minutes.
• Once kneaded, place the dough in a bowl, cover, and let rise at room temperature until double in bulk, about one hour.
• Punch down and let rise again, covered, until double in bulk, about one hour.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Combine the onions, cheese, creme fraiche, salt and pepper and let sit for 15 minutes to soften the onions.
• Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle to fit a large baking sheet, measuring about 12 1/2 by 15 inches. Place the dough on the baking sheet.
• Spread the onion mixture over the dough right to the edge. Sprinkle the bacon evenly over the top, then sprinkle generously with pepper.
• Bake just until the dough is crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

TARTE FLAMBEE (ALSATIAN BACON & ONION TART)

Steps:

• Place bacon in a skillet and cook over medium-high heat until cooked but not crisp and fat has rendered out, about 8 minutes. Drain in a strainer; reserve the fat.
• Place skillet back over medium heat. Add sliced onions. Cook briefly just until they lose their raw edge and soften up slightly, 3 to 5 minutes. Add a teaspoon or 2 of bacon fat if pan seems too dry. Remove skillet from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Mix fromage blanc, creme fraiche, nutmeg, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper together in a mixing bowl.
• Place 1 ball of pizza dough on a well-floured surface. Flatten and roll out to a 10- or 12-inch thin circle. Transfer to a cold cast iron pan. Heat over medium-high heat to pre-cook the bottom of the crust. As dough heats and bubbles appear, deflate them with the tines of a fork so crust ends up thin and crisp (not chewy). When bottom is nicely browned and just about to start getting charred, 5 to 7 minutes, remove from heat. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Spread a generous amount of cheese mixture over the crust. Top evenly with some onions and then the bacon. Broil 5 or 6 minutes until edges are browned and starting to lift. Repeat for remaining tartes.