Alsatian Flammekueche (Tarte Flambée) Recipe - The Real Recipe

Flammekueche - or tarte flambée in French, literally "flame cake" - is undoubtedly Alsace's most convivial and most shared dish. Born on the farms of the Kochersberg, north of Strasbourg, it was originally used by bakers to test the temperature of their wood-fired ovens before baking the bread. The very thin dough, placed directly on the blazing oven floor, cooked in minutes - and bakers topped it with whatever they had to hand : cream, white cheese, lardons, onions. A recipe born of necessity, now a symbol.

The history of flammekueche

Long considered a poor man's dish - the food of bakers and peasants in northern Alsace - flammekueche enjoyed a spectacular comeback in the 1960s and 70s. It was Strasbourg restaurateur Robert Friedrich who popularised it at his restaurant "La Cloche à Fromage". Today it is unmissable in every winstub, brasserie and Alsatian restaurant, and comes in dozens of regional and seasonal variations.

Ingredients for 6 people

• 500 g bread dough (from the baker)
• 2 large onions
• 2 tablespoons thick crème fraîche
• 2 tablespoons well-drained fromage blanc
• 80 g smoked lardons
• 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil
• Salt, pepper, grated nutmeg (optional)

Method

1. Preheat your oven to its maximum - ideally 250 to 280°C. The intense heat is the secret to a crispy flammekueche.
2. Peel and finely slice the onions. Fry gently for 5 minutes in the rapeseed oil to soften slightly. Set aside.
3. In a bowl, mix the crème fraîche and fromage blanc. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg if desired.
4. Roll the bread dough out very thinly with a rolling pin - almost translucent - on baking paper or directly on a lightly floured baking tray.
5. Spread the cream and cheese mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a 1 cm border. Scatter the onions and smoked lardons on top.
6. Place immediately in the very hot oven (250-280°C) for 8 to 12 minutes, until the edges are well browned and slightly charred in places - the sign of a real flammekueche.

Ready! Cut into rectangles and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Tips and variations

• The Gratinée : sprinkle with grated gruyère or emmental before baking for an even more generous gratinated version.
• The Forestière : replace the lardons with mushrooms and add a touch of garlic.
• The Munster version : add a few slices of munster and caraway seeds at the end of cooking.
• The sweet version : top with sliced apples, brown sugar and a pinch of cinnamon for a dessert version.
• The dough secret : ask your baker for unleavened bread dough. The thinner it is, the better the flammekueche.
• Pairing : a glass of Alsatian riesling or pinot blanc, or a cold Alsatian beer.

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