Emma Vegan Flammkuchen Recipe
Like many famous dishes from around the world, this dish was originally a rustic, poor person’s food, made as a consequence of testing the optimum heat of wood-fired ovens when making bread. Nowadays, it is considered a regional speciality of the Alsace region of France, where it is named ‘Flammekueche’. The rest of France know it as ‘tarte flambée’ whereas in Germany, it is called ‘Flammkuchen’ We refer to it as the latter as that’s what you’re more likely to see in a supermarket in the UK, e.g. the freezer section at Lidl or Aldi.
If you are searching on the internet you may even find it referred to as ‘French pizza’, not to be confused with a French bread pizza of course. Despite the differences in regional name, essentially they all translate as a ‘pie baked in flames’ due to the dish traditionally being cooked in a wood-fired oven, just like pizza. Like pizza, Flammkuchen can also be circular or rectangular in shape, but it differs in that it has a thinner, crispier base, covered with fromage blanc or crème fraîche rather than a tomato-based sauce. For this recipe we are using vegan cheese, but you could of course use crème fraîche or cream cheese for a non-vegan version.
Vegan Flammkuchen Recipe
Ingredients
For the dough:
250 grams plain flour
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
About 120 ml water
For the topping:
Ground salt
Ground black pepper
Grated nutmeg
1 tub Sheese chive flavour (but you only need 3 tablespoons)
1 courgette, thinly sliced
Method
Start by making the dough. Into a medium-sized bowl add flour, salt and oil. Mix with a fork and then slowly add water until it combines fully. You might need more water, but don’t worry. Just add a little at a time.
Once the dough has combined, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead carefully to form a ball. You can make the dough a day ahead – just make sure to cover it with cling film to stop it from drying out.
Preheat the oven to 250°C/fan 230°C/480°F/Gas Mark 9 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces; cover the one you won’t be using right away.
Roll out the dough thinly, about 3 mm in thickness. You want the dough to be as thin as it can be without breaking. We like to make these in a rectangular shape, however, you can roll the dough out into a circle or whatever shape you wish.
In a bowl, combine three tablespoons of Sheese with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Use the same amount of nutmeg as your usual salt and pepper seasoning.
Spread the mixture on top of the dough, leaving a small space at the edge for your fingers, then top with sliced courgette.
Bake for 10 minutes, until the filling is bubbly and the crust is golden brown at the edges.
Transfer to a cutting board and slice into easy-to-eat portions.
Top with salad herbs if you wish, for extra greenery.
Other Dishes to Try
Hot Peas – A classic winter warmer
Steak Pie – flaky puff pastry atop glorious steak
Scottish Morning Rolls – perfect for a roll n sausage or tattie scone!
Vegan Flammkuchen Recipe
Ingredients
- For the dough:
- 250 grams plain flour
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- About 120 ml water
- For the topping:
- Ground salt
- Ground black pepper
- Grated nutmeg
- 1 tub Sheese chive flavour but you only need 3 tablespoons
- 1 courgette thinly sliced
Instructions
- Start by making the dough. Into a medium-sized bowl add flour, salt and oil. Mix with a fork and then slowly add water until it combines fully. You might need more water, but don’t worry. Just add a little at a time.
- Once the dough has combined, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead carefully to form a ball. You can make the dough a day ahead – just make sure to cover it with cling film to stop it from drying out.
- Preheat the oven to 250°C/fan 230°C/480°F/Gas Mark 9 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces; cover the one you won't be using right away.
- Roll out the dough thinly, about 3 mm in thickness. You want the dough to be as thin as it can be without breaking. We like to make these in a rectangular shape, however, you can roll the dough out into a circle or whatever shape you wish.
- In a bowl, combine three tablespoons of Sheese with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Use the same amount of nutmeg as your usual salt and pepper seasoning.
- Spread the mixture on top of the dough, leaving a small space at the edge for your fingers, then top with sliced courgette.
- Bake for 10 minutes, until the filling is bubbly and the crust is golden brown at the edges.
- Transfer to a cutting board and slice into easy-to-eat portions.
- Top with salad herbs if you wish, for extra greenery.
