Easy Flammkuchen recipe (French-German Pizza)

An epicurean adventure to: France

Flammkuchen, or French-German pizza, is a delicious and unique spin on pizza as we know it.

Originally hailing from the Alsace region of France and the adjacent regions on the French-German border, this is a no-yeast, thin-crusted pizza, topped with crème fraiche, sour cream, bacon and onions.

Our homemade Flammkuchen recipe uses caramelised onions, smoked bacon lardons and a scattering of Gruyère cheese. It's very easy to make, quick to bake and endlessly customisable.

For another unique pizza recipe, try this South African bacon, avocado and feta pizza.

Fast facts - France

Location	France is located in Western Europe and is bordered by several countries, including Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and Andorra. It also has coastlines along the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean and the English Channel.
Language	The official language of France is French.
Population	Circa 67 million people.
Trivia	French people consume more cheese per capita than any other country in the world. It's no wonder they say, "Life is too short to eat bad cheese!"

What is Flammkuchen?

Flammkuchen is a traditional dish from the Alsace region of France, although it is also very popular in neighbouring Germany and Switzerland.

It is similar to a thin-crust pizza but with a crispy, paper-thin crust made with flour, water, salt and oil, with no yeast.

The traditional toppings typically consist of crème fraîche, sour cream, thinly sliced onions and bacon or pancetta.

Flammkuchen is traditionally baked in a wood-fired oven and served hot, cut into thin slices.

How did it originate?

Legend has it that Flammkuchen was born from a baker's need to test the heat of his wood-fired oven before baking bread. So, he slapped a thin layer of dough on a wooden peel, topped it with some delicious goodies, and popped it into the hot oven.

If it crisped up and browned in a jiffy, the oven was ready for some serious bread-baking business! And thus, Flammkuchen was born - from the necessity to ensure perfectly baked bread!

Other names it's known by

The direct translation to English is 'Flame cake', but here are some other names it's known by:

• Flammkuchen - Alsace, France and parts of Germany

• Tarte Flambée - Alsace, France and parts of Germany

• Flammekueche - Lorraine, France

• Flamkuchen - Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

• Flammèkueche - Moselle, France

• Flammèch - Luxembourg

• Pflammkuchen - Saarland, Germany

Key ingredient notes and substitutions

All-purpose flour

For a gluten-free Flammkuchen, you can swap the all-purpose flour for a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour.

Bacon

We just love using smoked bacon lardons for this pizza. It's convenient because it's already diced and the smoky flavour adds so much to the overall taste.

You can use any bacon of your choosing if lardons are not easily available to you.

Onion

Use either red, brown or white onion. The secret to perfect onions for this pizza is slicing it in very thin rings. If you have a mandoline you can use, all the better.

Brown sugar

We add a touch of brown sugar to the onions to make a slightly sweet caramelised onion topping. You can leave this out if you're sugar-free.

Crème fraîche and sour cream

These are the two traditional ingredients to spread across the pizza base.

If this is your first experience with Flammkuchen, you might think these are strange toppings, but rest assured, it's delicious! It kind of disappears into the pizza when it's baked but it definitely adds to it.

You can replace the sour cream with all crème fraîche or Greek yoghurt.

Gruyère cheese

Gruyère is such a fantastic cheese for this pizza. You don't want to overload the pizza with toppings. Less is definitely more.

Gruyère is a strong cheese, like Parmesan, therefore you only need very little for a good cheesy punch without smothering the base whilst cooking.

Greenery

If you wish, you can add chopped chives or any of your favourite herbs. Or leave it plain.

Equipment

Kneading

You can knead the dough in a stand mixer with the dough hook attached, or by hand.

Rolling pin

You will need a rolling pin to stretch the dough out very thinly. It's great if you have a rolling pin with thickness guides, can't recommend them highly enough for any baking needs.

A normal rolling pin will be absolutely fine though. Just be patient, the dough will spring back as you start, but just keep rolling.

Baking

If you have a pizza stone, great, use that! If not, just use a large baking sheet that can accommodate the size of the crust.

To mimic the pizza stone process, we recommend you add the baking tray to the oven as soon as you start pre-heating. That way it will be super hot by the time you slide the crust onto it.

Be careful not to burn yourself!

How to make Flammkuchen

Making the flammkuchen dough

1. Preheat the oven to 240℃/465℉/gas mark 8. Place a large baking tray on the middle shelf of the oven to heat up along with the oven.

2. Add the plain flour and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer. If you are not using a stand mixer, add it to a large bowl. Give it a quick stir.

3. Add the warm water and the olive oil to the flour

4. Briefly combine using a spoon.

5. If you are using a stand mixer, attach the dough hook and knead the dough for 8-10 minutes. If you are doing this by hand, knead for a good 10 minutes.

6. Knead until you have an elastic and smooth dough.

7. Cut a piece of parchment paper the same size as the baking tray and place it on the work surface.

8. Place the pizza dough on the parchment paper.

9. With a rolling pin, roll it into a thin oblong disc of 3mm - 5mm thick.

Preparing the toppings

10. Add the bacon lardons to a hot frying pan and briefly fry until they just start to brown. Don't fry them too long because they will cook further in the oven. It should only take about 2 minutes.

11. Remove from the pan.

12. Slice the onions as thinly as you can, about 3mm.

13. In the same pan, add a dollop of butter (tastes better than oil), or a dash of oil, along with the thinly sliced raw onion rings. Turn the heat to medium-low and place the lid on.
    
    Allow the onions to soften, about 3-4 minutes. Stir every minute or so to ensure they are not sticking to the pan.

14. When the onions are soft, add a teaspoon of brown sugar. Fry for a further 1-2 minutes, lid off, over medium heat, until the onions are a light golden brown, soft and caramelised.

15. In a small bowl, mix together the crème fraîche and sour cream.

16. Evenly spread it across the surface of the pizza dough, leaving a gap of roughly 1cm from the edge.

17. Start by topping the pizza with the caramelised onions.

18. Then top with the bacon lardons, spreading them out evenly. 

19. Scatter over the grated Gruyère cheese.

20. Remove the hot baking tray from the oven and slide the pizza along with the parchment paper onto the tray. Take care not to burn yourself.

21. Bake for 15-16 minutes until the cheese is melted and the crust is a light golden brown, with a few scorched bits here and there.
    
    Important: Keep an eye on the pizza. The baking time is an approximation. All ovens are slightly different and you may get a different result with yours. Cook the pizza until it looks done, using the above visual clues.

22. Scatter some chopped chives, black pepper or your favourite herbs over the top of the pizza. Cut into slices and enjoy immediately.

Topping variations

• Mushroom and Thyme: Sautéed mushrooms and fresh thyme.

• Vegetarian: Use grilled or roasted vegetables like zucchini (courgettes), eggplant (aubergine), and red peppers.

• Apple and Cinnamon: Thinly sliced apples with cinnamon and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup for a sweet version.

• Ham and Cheese: Slices of thin ham and grated Emmental cheese.

• Salmon and Dill: Smoked salmon and fresh dill.

• Goat Cheese and Honey: Crumbled goat cheese, honey, and thinly sliced red onions.

• Asparagus and Prosciutto: Blanched asparagus spears and thinly sliced prosciutto.

• Potato and Rosemary: Thinly sliced potatoes and fresh rosemary.

• Black Olive and Feta: Black olives, feta cheese, and red onion.

• Tomato and Basil: Fresh tomato slices and basil leaves.

• Spicy Sausage and Jalapeño: Sliced spicy sausage and diced jalapeño peppers.

• Fig and Prosciutto: Sliced fresh figs, prosciutto and goat cheese.

• Three Cheese: A mix of grated Parmesan, Gruyere and mozzarella cheese.

• Shrimp and Garlic: Shrimp, minced garlic and chopped parsley.

• Smoked Bacon and Egg: Thinly sliced smoked bacon and a cracked egg.

• Pear and Blue Cheese: Sliced pears, crumbled blue cheese and walnuts.

• Ratatouille: A mix of sautéed eggplant, zucchini (courgettes), bell peppers and onions.

• Chicken and Pesto: Shredded cooked chicken and dollops of pesto.

• Caramelized Onion and Gouda: Thinly sliced caramelised onions and grated Gouda cheese.

• Tuna and Red Pepper: Flaked canned tuna, sliced roasted red peppers and capers.

• Artichoke and Spinach: Chopped artichoke hearts, sautéed spinach and grated Parmesan cheese.

• BBQ Chicken: Shredded BBQ chicken, red onion and coriander.

• Sausage and Sauerkraut: Sliced cooked sausage and sauerkraut.

• Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese: Roasted beet slices, crumbled goat cheese and chopped fresh chives.

• Caprese: Sliced tomato, fresh mozzarella and basil leaves.

• Corn and Cheddar: Cooked corn kernels and grated cheddar cheese.

• Caramelized Fennel and Ricotta: Thinly sliced caramelised fennel and dollops of ricotta cheese.

• Blueberry and Brie: Fresh blueberries, sliced brie cheese and honey drizzle.

• Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomato: Pesto sauce and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

• Bacon and Brussels Sprouts: Sautéed Brussels sprouts and crumbled bacon.

Serving suggestions

• Green Salad: Serve a fresh green salad on the side to add some freshness and balance to the rich flavours of Flammkuchen. A simple salad with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and a light vinaigrette works well.

• Pickles: Pickles, such as cornichons or pickled onions are a popular accompaniment to Flammkuchen. Their tangy and crunchy texture works well with the pizza.

• Radishes: Thinly sliced radishes add a refreshing and slightly spicy element to the meal. Serve alongside the Flammkuchen, or used as a garnish on top.

• Cucumber and Greek yoghurt dip: A cool and creamy cucumber and yoghurt dip, like tzatziki, can provide a refreshing contrast to the savoury Flammkuchen. It can be served as a dipping sauce or drizzled on top.

• White Wine: Flammkuchen pairs well with a crisp and dry white wine, such as Riesling or Pinot Gris.

Storage and reheating

Flammkuchen is definitely at its very best straight from the oven. However, if you find yourself with leftover Flammkuchen, you can store it in the fridge for up to 3 days when kept in an airtight container.

To reheat, warm the oven to 200C/390F/gas mark 6 and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until heated through.

Can you freeze Flammkuchen?

Yes, you can. You can prepare the base along with the toppings (without herbs) and freeze it unbaked for up to three months. Take it out of the freezer a few hours before baking to allow it to thaw. If you are cooking it from frozen, add a couple of minutes to the baking time.

You can also prepare the base and freeze it for up to three months. Add the toppings before baking and bake at 240℃/465℉/gas mark 8 for 15-16 minutes until the cheese is melted and the crust is a light golden brown, with a few scorched bits here and there.

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What to drink with Flammkuchen

Traditionally, white wine such as a dry Riesling, Pinot Blanc or Pinot Gris is a popular choice. However, beer, cider or sparkling water are also good options.