I was first introduced to tarte flambée, which comes from Alsace, with the explanation that it’s France’s answer to pizza. In fact, though, it’s not much like pizza at all
SERVES 4-12
DOUGH
250g plain flour, sifted, plus extra for dusting
½ tsp salt
150ml tepid water
2 tbsp sunflower oil
TOPPING
250g full-fat crème fraîche
1 large onion, finely sliced
160g smoked bacon lardons, fried until browned
250g Emmental or Gruyère cheese or a mixture, grated
salt and black pepper
a few rasps freshly grated nutmeg
- Mix the flour and salt in a bowl, then add the water and oil and bring everything together to make a rough dough. Transfer the dough to a floured board and knead well. Roll the dough into two rectangles, each measuring about 25cm x 28cm, and place on one or two baking sheets.
- Preheat the oven to 230C/ 210C fan or as hot as your oven will go. Spread the crème fraîche over the dough, leaving a little border around the edges, then dot with the onion, lardons and grated cheese. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the base is crisp and the cheese is bubbling. Slide the tarts on to a wooden board and use a pizza cutter to slice them into portions. Serve immediately with drinks or as a light lunch with a green salad.
