RECIPE / ONE REALIZATION
This is the traditional recipe for tarte flambée — bread dough topped with fromage blanc, crème fraîche, smoked bacon, and onions, seasoned only with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. The recipe makes for 10 tarts, but one can scale the amounts to one's preference.
← Back to the dish overviewRECIPE INGREDIENTS
METHOD
Add the flour to a very large bowl, then pour in the lukewarm water in which you've previously dissolved coarse salt. Mix to combine.
Now, add the lukewarm water in which you've previously dissolved yeast. Then, add half a liter of water.
Knead until you have a smooth dough. The dough should not be dry or sticky. If it's dry, add more water; and if it's sticky, add more flour.
Cover the bowl and let the dough rest in a warm spot for two hours.
After two hours, divide the dough into 10 portions. Then, shape each portion into a ball.
Roll each portion on a lightly floured surface into an oval or a square.
Clean the onions, cut them lengthwise, then cut into half-moon slices.
Cut the smoked bacon into sticks.
Then, add the fromage blanc, the crème fraîche, salt, the pepper, and the nutmeg to a bowl and stir to combine.
Spread the dairy mixture over each oval of dough, then sprinkle the bacon and the onion on top.
Bake in a 250°C/480°F oven for 8-10 minutes,
Cut into quarters and serve hot. Eat with hands!
USEFUL NOTES
Traditionally, tarte flambée is made with bread dough, which is made with just flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and water. However, today, tarte flambée is most often made with unleavened dough.
Tarte flambée is topped with a mixture of fromage blanc, an acid-set soft cheese, and crème fraîche. Some recipes will also call for egg yolks or rapeseed oil to make the spread richer.
Traditional toppings are lardons (salted bacon) and onion. Although not a must and traditional, it’s recommended to pre-cook both for flavor reasons.
Traditionally, tarte flambée is baked in a wood-fired oven for 2-3 minutes. Since most households don’t have one, we recommend using a pizza stone and baking at the highest oven temperature possible to imitate the conditions of a wood-fired oven as much as possible. If you do not have a pizza stone, bake the tart on the back of the baking tray that you’ve previously heated.
Tarte flambée is usually served on a wooden board, cut into quarters or squares, and meant to be eaten by hand. In the past, it was served with schnapps, but today, it will typically be served with local dry white wines or beer.