Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Elsässer Flammkuchen (Alsatian Flamecake/pie) from Teubner

I found out about this yummilicious creation the last time I visited Germany. I guess I never knew about it because I was a vegetarian when I lived there! We make this only every once in a while because it's rather fattening and decadent--and more-ish! I'm putting the recipe I follow below I'm also putting a link to another recipe with a picture and then a link to the Wikipedia entry about it. Oh, how I wish I had a glass of Federweißer to drink with this delicious onion and bacon pizza! (News flash: Hop'n Mad Apple Cider from Angry Orchard--http://angryorchard.com/#!/hopn-mad-apple/--tastes a LOT like Federweisser!!!)

Other sources for information:
http://www.modernbeet.com/archives/237

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarte_flamb%C3%A9e

Makes 2
Dough
300 g AP Flour
2 g instant or active dry yeast or 5 g fresh yeast
1 tsp salt
2 T + 180 ml lukewarm water

Topping
200 g onions
150 g bacon, uncooked
375 g crème frâiche (Click on the link for directions on how to make your own creme fraiche. However, my recipe from Das Teubner Handbuch Backen actually calls for double cream, so if you want to be absolutely as authentic as you can be, follow the directions from this link http://www.ochef.com/843.htm.)
freshly grated nutmeg
freshly ground pepper
salt
2 T oil

Additional Necessities
flour for your work surface and for dusting
2 cookie sheets
oil for the cookie sheets

1. To make the dough, sift the flour in a bowl and make an indentation in the middle. Put the yeast and 2 T of lukewarm water in the indentation and stir to dissolve, mixing in a little of the flour from the edge. Sprinkle the salt over the flour. Pour 180 ml of lukewarm water over the flour and knead to a smooth dough.

2. For the dough into a ball and cover. Leave in a warm, draft-free place to rise till it is doubled in volume.

3. For the topping, peel the onions and slice into 2mm-thick rings. Cut the bacon into 3 mm-thick slices.

4. Knead the dough well and cut in half. Roll each half out on a lightly floured surface to 45 cm round that is paper-thin. Roll the edges under about 1 cm so that the edges are lightly raised.

6. Heat the oven to 250C/475F. Spread each dough half with the crème frâiche, then the onions and bacon. Grate a bit of nutmeg over each half and then grind a bit of pepper, sprinkle with salt and, lightly, oil.

7. Dust the edges of each dough half with flour. Bake each Flammkuchen in the middle of the preheated oven 10-15 minutes till they are crispy. Serve hot immediately upon removing from the oven.

Creme Fraiche (Crème Frâiche)

1 cp heavy whipping cream
1 T buttermilk

Heat cream slightly and stir in buttermilk. Leave out on the counter, covered loosely, until it thickens up. This may take several days. Store in fridge after it thickens.

Used in Elsasser Flammkuchen (Alsatian Flammkuchen)--you'll need to make about 1 1/2 cups of Creme Fraiche.