Skip to content

The starter, Regional

Flammekueche with bacon lardons

Flammekueche with bacon lardons is a thin, crispy Alsatian tart for 6 people, needing 35 minutes of active work. The dough, cream mix, and bacon are made in the morning, leaving only rolling the dough before guests arrive and a 12 minute bake at serving time. It's easy, costs €1.80 per person, and success comes down to rolling the dough very thin and keeping the onions raw before baking.

A real Alsatian flammekueche, thin and crispy, with bacon lardons and onions, cut into slices and eaten with your hands.

Flammekueche with bacon lardons
For
6 people
Work
35 min
Total time
1 h 50
Prep
Prepared the same day
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€1.80
Calories per person
450 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

Flammekueche with bacon lardons is that crepe thin tart, crispy at the edges and soft in the middle under the cream and onions. Smoky bacon lardons give it the salty punch that makes it what it is, and the almost see-through dough crisps up just like at a real Alsatian tarte flambée spot. It's a hands-on dish, cut into pieces and passed around the table.

It's a great starter for a dinner party with friends, a relaxed family meal, or a winter evening when you want something simple and easygoing. It opens a menu nicely before a lighter main course, or you can make several small tarts for a casual finger food night.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before Nothing to do
  2. The same day 3 steps, 1 h 18
  3. Before the guests arrive 1 step, 10 min
  4. When it's time to serve 1 step, 12 min

In the morning, make the dough, mix the cream with the fromage blanc, and brown the bacon lardons ahead of time. Right before your guests arrive, roll the dough out very thin on the baking sheets and heat the oven to its maximum setting. At serving time, add the topping, bake for 12 minutes, and cut into pieces as soon as it comes out so it stays crispy.

The ingredients

6 people

Pantry

  • Flouroften in the pantry 300 g
  • Sunflower oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Nutmegoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Fromage blanc 400 g
  • Thick crème fraîche 10 cl

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onions 3

Butcher

  • Smoked bacon lardons 200 g

Allergens Gluten, Lactose

The recipe, moment by moment

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Mix the flour, oil, a pinch of salt, and fifteen centiliters of water, knead into a smooth dough, and let it rest. 1 h

    Knead for five minutes, the dough becomes smooth and stops springing back.

  2. Mix the fromage blanc, cream, nutmeg, salt, and pepper, and thinly slice the onions. 10 min

    Drain the fromage blanc in a strainer, so the cream stays thick on the tart.

  3. Brown the bacon lardons in a pan and set them aside. 8 min

    Take them off the heat before they get crispy, they'll finish cooking in the oven.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Roll the dough into two very thin rectangles on baking sheets and preheat the oven to its highest setting. 10 min

    Flour very lightly, too much flour burns and turns the dough bitter.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Spread the cream, add the onions and bacon lardons, bake at 250°C until the edges are golden, then cut into pieces. 12 min

    Keep the onions raw, they soften and caramelize during baking.

Our tips to get it right

  • Drain the fromage blanc well before mixing it with the cream, otherwise the topping releases water during baking and soaks the dough.
  • Use a very hot baking sheet, or a preheated pizza stone, so the bottom cooks as fast as the top.
  • Don't overload the tart with topping, a thin layer cooks evenly and lets the edges stay crispy all the way to the center.

The variations

  • Swap the bacon lardons for diced ham for a milder version that kids tend to like better.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the bacon and add sliced button mushrooms sautéed in a pan.
  • To save time, use a store bought thin pizza dough and focus on the topping, the taste stays close to the original.

What to serve it with

  • A green salad with sharp vinaigrette
  • A glass of Alsatian Riesling
  • A light soup as a starter before

Storage

Leftovers keep for two days in the fridge in a sealed container. Reheat in a hot oven for a few minutes to bring back the crispiness, the microwave softens the dough. Freezing isn't recommended, the thin texture doesn't hold up well after thawing.

Questions about this recipe

Can you make the dough by hand without a mixer?

Yes, five minutes of hand kneading is enough to get a smooth, soft dough. The key is that it no longer springs back when you roll it out.

Do the onions need to be cooked before topping the tart?

No, the onions stay raw and thinly sliced. They soften and caramelize slightly during baking, which is where their flavor comes from.

How many flammekueches does this amount of dough make?

The recipe makes two thin rectangles, enough for a generous starter for six people. You can also cut smaller pieces for a casual appetizer with friends.

Why does my tart go soft after baking?

This usually happens when the fromage blanc wasn't drained enough or the oven wasn't hot enough. Cut the tart right out of the oven and serve immediately to keep it crispy.

Can a flammekueche with bacon lardons be made ahead?

Yes, during the day. The recipe needs 35 min of work in total, split up like this, the same day, 3 steps, before the guests arrive, 1 step, when it's time to serve, 1 step.

How long does it take to make a flammekueche with bacon lardons?

Allow 1 h 50 in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 35 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "easy".

How many calories are in a flammekueche with bacon lardons?

About 450 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a flammekueche with bacon lardons cost?

About €1.80 per person, that's €10.80 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

To round out your menu

Build a menu
Crème caramel The dessert

Regional

Crème caramel

  • 30 min of work
  • Prepared the day before
  • Easy, €0.80 per person

260 kcalcalculated by Kiloach

Starters for entertaining

See all
Gratinéed scallops The starter

French classic

Gratinéed scallops

  • 35 min of work
  • Prepared the same day
  • Medium, €5.20 per person

330 kcalcalculated by Kiloach

Alsatian onion tart The starter

Regional

Alsatian onion tart

  • 40 min of work
  • Prepared the same day
  • Easy, €1.10 per person

420 kcalcalculated by Kiloach

Leek and salmon tart The starter

Regional

Leek and salmon tart

  • 40 min of work
  • Prepared the same day
  • Easy, €3.00 per person

470 kcalcalculated by Kiloach