Alsatian Tarte Flambe



Back in the day, before the Food Network, there were real chefs, like Jacques Pepin & Lidia Bastianich, who once a year did a PBS television cooking series, in which you would put your VHS tape in your VCR to record and watch when you came home from work.

When I was a newlywed in the 90's, I watched Jacques make his mother's Alsatian Tarte Flambe. I said, I can do this! I made it and made it and made it, and have been making it ever since.

Depending on the region, this dish can be called in Alsatian, Flammekueche, in German it is Flammkuchen, and in French tarte flambée. There are many variations, most of them using a yeast dough. Just think of a thin crust pizza smothered in fromage blanc or creme fraiche with sauteed onions and bacon on top!

Sound good? It is.

Here is an easy method to making Alsatian Tarte Flambe. I don't prepare a yeast crust, because yeast and I have never gotten along.
Jacques used frozen puff pastry, and so do I.



Alsatian Tarte Flambe: (adapted from Jacques Pepin)

1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, defrosted and kept chilled
1 cup of onions, sliced thin
4 oz. bacon, cubed or chopped
1/2 c. cottage cheese
1 tbsp flour
1/2 c. creme fraiche (you can substitute sour cream)
salt and pepper

Roll out your pastry dough on a floured surface and fit into a 9 x 12 baking sheet.
You can also cut the dough into rounds and make individual tarts if you like.

Saute your bacon until the fat is rendered and add the onions and cook another 3 minutes in the bacon fat. I add a bit of salt to the onions.



In a food processor, combine the creme fraiche, cottage cheese and tablespoon of flour and pulse until smooth. Add salt and pepper.



With a rubber spatula, smooth the creme fraiche mixture over the puff pastry.
Now add your onions and bacon.



Bake for 12-15 minutes at 425F.

I serve this with my favorite salad, which I will share with you.



This makes enough for 4 people.

I buy Spring Lettuce mix, make sure it has frisee lettuce in the mix.

Toast a handful of walnuts and shred about 1/4 cup of good Gruyere cheese.



Dressing:

1 teaspoon of grainy mustard
2 tbsp of white balsamic vinegar
5 tbsp of walnut oil

Toss all ingredients together with dressing, and you have a wonderful French salad.
I could eat this everyday!

Comments

Kim said…
LOL! - I still have some of those cooking shows on VHS tapes and I don't even own a VCR! I just can't bare to throw them away. Looks great!!
kat said…
That is a fantastic looking tart! Bacon & onions, yum
Stacey...That tart looks and sounds amazing. Not too hard to make either. Perfect for the cooler weather. I want some right now! Yum. ♥Rosemary
The JR said…
Yeast is not my friend either. Looks absolutely amazing Stacey.

Ramona
Ciao Chow Linda said…
Jacques and Lidia - Two fabulous cooks who serve as great teachers. Love the tart and am just imagining the goodness there. Never used fromage blanc but just yesterday saw Ina Garten make a dessert with it that looked yummy.
I've been watching Jacques and Julia on PBS, they've been replaying their old shows together, and Lydia, I wish I was related to her! This looks yummy Stace, and I'd be happy to eat this everyday too.
Karen said…
What a great idea for an easy, quick dinner (or brunch)!
Bob said…
That looks so good. Lidia has a new show on PBS lately (at least I think it's new), it's quite good. I don't have cable so I only watch the PBS shows. Heh.
Meghan said…
Great recipe! I've had a similar tarte flambee at a little French restaurant in downtown Chicago. I'm glad to have a recipe!
I like thinking of you as a newlywed making and making and making again this tarte - it is such a calming and pretty image in my mind!
Bluebird NY said…
A combo of wonderful flavors - perfect for a quick and savory meal! I miss Jacques Pepin's shows too...
Bluebird NY said…
A combo of wonderful flavors - perfect for a quick and savory meal! I miss Jacques Pepin's shows too...
Dana said…
Beautiful and easy! I make a pissladiere which reminds me of this but the filling here sounds so good!
Ah, live before the Food Network. PBS had some great shows. Your tart looks easy and it's beautiful. Makes it a winner in my book.
Sam
This looks wonderful. I love puff pastry!! Remembering recording with a VCR makes me feel old. Thanks for that!
LaDue & Crew said…
Wow, I remember those days... and when my VCR was broken, frantically writing the recipes down in a shorthand I was later unable to comprehend...lol,. Love this Stace ;-)
Unknown said…
Hi Stacey:

I'm fairly new to your blog and love it....am always printing out recipes.
Is there a way to print them out without all the pics, or am I missing something...Today's recipe, which I can't wait to make, is 5 pages!
Help!
Foodiewife said…
I am so far behind in reading blogs. This recipe has my name written all over it...seriously. I have every single ingredient, including walnut oil. You can bet this one moves high on my "must make" list...who doesn't love puff pastry? I'll let you know when I make it. That's a promise.
PS: Getting a new fridge delivered tomorrow and I'm so excited! Finally, no more balance plates on top of bowls and struggling to find things.
Jonny said…
i saw Hubert Keller make this "recently" (could have been an old recording - he doesn't seem to age) too, and I had it in our file of recipes to make and then blog. yours looks just as good as his, and i want to make it even more now. I saw you subbed creme fraiche in, which looks like a winner (I forget what Hubert did), but where can one get fromage blanc in this country? Maybe I should learn how to make it? hmm... that's an entire weekend project, methinks. thanks for the inspiration!
Jonny said…
i saw Hubert Keller make this "recently" (could have been an old recording - he doesn't seem to age) too, and I had it in our file of recipes to make and then blog. yours looks just as good as his, and i want to make it even more now. I saw you subbed creme fraiche in, which looks like a winner (I forget what Hubert did), but where can one get fromage blanc in this country? Maybe I should learn how to make it? hmm... that's an entire weekend project, methinks. thanks for the inspiration!
Kathy Walker said…
This looks delicious. I will have to give it a try....puff pastry works for me!
Unknown said…
Don't wimp out and use puff pastry. Homemade pizza dough is sooo easy to make and inexpensive. I have a fail-proof recipe from an Italian girlfriend. Also, try some grated gruyere cheese on top of this pizza. I like to caramelize my onions ahead of time, too, and use those packaged pre-chopped up panchetta pieces which I then brown before using on the tarte.
Anonymous said…
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- Thomas