Does your mouth start to water at the thought of Flammkuchen? They’re very easy to make and bake in your EGG. There are very good ready-made Flammkuchen bases nowadays, and you don’t need a lot of ingredients to top them with. No matter which of the many Flammkuchen variations you make, it’s always very easy.
Flammkuchen or tarte flambée?
This dish is called Flammkuchen in most countries, but it is also known as tarte flambée. Both terms refer to the Alsatian classic with a delicious crispy base topped with tasteful ingredients. The Flammkuchen was created by accident, in order to check the temperature of wood-fired bread ovens. There was no thermometer, so the leftover dough was rolled out thinly and placed in the oven. If the dough was golden brown, done, crispy and not burned after a certain length of time, the temperature was perfect for baking the bread. Throwing the test dough away would have been a shame, so it was covered with a topping and a local speciality was born.
Snack or main course
The dish was created in Alsace over a century ago and has slowly but surely conquered other regions and countries since then. Nowadays it is a popular light dish that is also served as a snack to go with drinks. If you’re aiming for convenience and speed, you can use ready-made Flammkuchen bases. Today, Flammkuchen is so popular that you don’t have to resort to using puff pastry or savoury pie crust as a base. The available bases are very good and it’s always nice to have a few of them in your freezer, because there are many options for toppings besides the classic crème fraîche, onion, bacon and cheese. So even if you don’t have those ingredients at home, you can still make a delicious Flammkuchen on your Big Green Egg.
Meat, fish and vegetarian
It doesn’t matter whether you fancy a savoury version with meat or fish, a vegetarian version or even a sweet version. You can stray as far from the traditional toppings as you want. For example, you could pimp the classic bacon version by adding some sauerkraut to your base as an extra topping or by replacing the bacon with slices of sausage. Raw ham, dried tomatoes and rocket are another great option, along with green asparagus tips with boiled ham cubes and onion. Sauerkraut and salmon are a delicious match, as are tuna and wakame. Just drizzle with wasabi mayonnaise before serving. And whether you are a vegetarian or not, a vegetarian Flammkuchen Caprese or a version with goat cheese and green herbs drizzled with a little balsamic vinegar after baking will make your mouth water.
More Flammkuchen variations
For a sweet Flammkuchen, you could mix some vanilla pulp or vanilla extract into the crème fraîche and top your base with summer fruit. You could also add some grated chocolate or honey. Or how about pear wedges with chocolate or apple with cinnamon? The possibilities are endless. Once you get the hang of making Flammkuchen, chances are you will start experimenting with your favourite flavour combinations and with new creations. If you have leftover vegetables, meat, fish or fruit, making Flammkuchen is the perfect way to use them up. There’s absolutely no need to throw them away, since you can turn them into a delicious dish!
If you are eager to make your own Flammkuchen, you probably already have all the ingredients you need for these two Flammkuchen recipes!
