Tarte Flambée
It was in Cornwall, England, where I first heard the name Rick Stein. We ate a seafood restaurant in Newquay, called The Fish House Fistral, after a beautiful beach walk from our hotel. Turns out, the chef there had worked under Rick Stein for years, prior to opening his own restaurant on Fistral beach. Chef Stein’s restaurant is called The Seafood Restaurant, which opened in 1975 in Padstow, Cornwall.
What I remember the most, besides everything being wonderful at this casual, seriously unpretentious restaurant on a cliff, during a fabulous sunset in fact, was that I finally experienced bottarga. I’d ordered an exceptional seafood pasta, and it was topped with this condensed salted and cured fish roe, grated on top of the lovely creamy pasta. Heaven.
So I never forgot the name Rick Stein, pronounced Steen, but also never heard anything about him, until recently when I discovered a tv show of his called, Rick Stein’s Secret France! The show is really good, and the passion for everything French, especially the food, really was obvious, as chef Stein makes his way to various towns in France, shown below.
I loved the show so much and was intrigued by so many recipes, that I just had to buy the companion cookbook. Plus I really loved the chef’s easy going style.
From the introduction: “Like many people, I have a romantic attachment to France that goes back to childhood, but when I was 16, a short stay near Cambrai in northern France converted me to the cuisine. My deep affection for France started then and has continued.”
A tarte flambé isn’t anything terribly unique, but there it was in the book. I think it’s the simplicity of what the chef referred to as “France’s answer to pizza,” although he also claims it’s not much like pizza at all! Especially since the dough is more like a flatbread.
I had to research lardons, because I wanted to stay true to the recipe. I discovered they’re unique, cut up from back bacon. I ordered some, but sadly discovered I’d not noticed that it was sliced. So my lardons are all various shapes, but they’re good!
I also ordered Emmental and Gruyere, because I wanted to use them both.
Tarte Flambée
French “Pizza” of Cheese and Ham
Dough
250g or 8.8 ounces plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1/2 teaspoon salt
150ml or 5 ounces tepid water
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
Topping
250g or 8.8 ounces full fat crème fraiche
1 large onion, finely sliced
160g or 5 1/2 ounces smoked bacon lardons, fried until browned
250g or 8.8 ounces Emmental or Gruyere, or a mixture of both
A few rasps freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and black pepper
Mix the flour and salt in a bowl, then add the water and oil and bring everything together to make rough dough. Transfer the dough to a floured board and knead well. Roll the dough into 2 rectangles, each measuring about 25 x 28cm (8.5 x 11”).
Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F) or as hot as your oven will go. Spread the creme fraiche 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 he base is crisp and the cheese is bubbling. Slide the tarts on to a wooden board and use a pizza cuter to cut them into portions.
Serve immediately with drinks or as a light lunch with a green salad.
I also added some cayenne pepper flakes, just cause I can’t resist!
About the Author: Chef Mimi
Creme freche, cheese and lardons sound like a keeper of a recipe. thanks for the introduction to the show and cookbook.
The show is fun, and the recipes are fabulous. Just what you’d expect.
Great recipe! I’ve got most – if not all! – of Rick Stein’s books and love his many TV series. There was a great Long Weekends one in 2016 – Lisbon, Vienna, Bordeaux,, etc. – and the accompanying book is a favourite. He has a great, relaxed and entertaining style on TV and I find his recipes reliable, easy to follow and authentic.
Oh my! That’s a lot of books. Being British, of course you’ve heard of him. He’s not well know here, unfortunately. His style is really nice, and I love his passion!
Oh dear, my father adored it. He brought the recipe from France and we simply named it Onion Pie. Now I have the complete history of this beauty! Thank you so much! Thank you!
Such a simple recipe but such great flavors! It is onion pie!
An unpretentious restaurant on a cliff? Well that sounds like the start to something amazing! And then you added a Tarte Flambee in there. Count me in! I’ve stumbled across some of Rick Stein’s videos here and there. They’re always entertaining and educational! So cool that you ate a restaurant with a connection to him. Good memories!
Food memories are all good memories, aren’t they?! Well, except for uni. Still can’t eat it. Yeah, the setting was gorgeous, but I think the restaurant had plastic chairs.
Very nicely done, looks great!!
Thanks, Charlie!
Simple ingredients all combined for one delicious bite. Bookmarking this recipe for the weekend. I will have to keep my eye out for Rick Stein’s shows and videos. Thank you for sharing your journey.
You are so welcoming. I’m going to find some of his other shows. He goes everywhere!
I enjoy your blog so much. Your knowledge and skill amaze me!
Thank you so much! I just love food. And eating!
I will most definitely see if I can find that show here, or at least look for the book.
The dough is very simple, then beautifully adorned!
Very simple, and very tasty!
I was so glad to see this pop into my inbox today, as I grew excited with anticipation when I saw it posted on your social media. I remember having this in Strasbourg and Grenoble, but never made one. I can’t wait to try this — and I’m going to start researching the availability of Stein’s videos… and books, but I really want to get a sense of his style you mentioned. Really fun post, Mimi!
So many of his videos on YouTube! I’ve just watched a couple and, like you, really like his manner. Easygoing, not fussy — very straightforward.Thanks for the introduction!
Oh, glad you found him! Yeah, I like him. Passionate but not nuts! I guess he has book about all kinds of international cuisines! He goes everywhere.
The videos I founds were all over the place in terms of cuisine – which is like me – and you! I think that is what makes him so appealing!
Ohh that looks amazing! It makes me think of adult cheesy sticks, and I mean that in the best way possible.
Ha! Well I get that!
I am going to look for those books, we love France as well. This sounds delicious.
I like the towns that he chose to visit in this particular series. That’s my kind of France!
Heaven is right. When I first came across bottarga in Sardinia it was love at first taste. I have a feeling it would be the same for this pizza. Oh, that cream and melty cheese and lardons!
Bottarga really is fabulous! Sounds weird, but is amazing!
We call them Flammkuchen here and they are really popular. Yours looks so good, Mimi.
I have no idea where you live. Germany? Yes, I’ve made flammkuchen before. All of these varieties are fabulous! I think one with Fontina would be really good!
There’s nothing but comfort and tastiness and temptation in this recipe, Mimi! I wish I could make it tonight! I think I might enjoy this cookbook, too, so thank you for all the great information. And now I’m very hungry! 😀
Sorry about that! It’s a very simple recipe, and with great flavors. The French have their way with simplicity as do the Italians.
This looks awesome, Mimi! I think it’s the same flatbread another friend was telling me about recently. Does your book mention this recipe might come from Alsace?
Yes, when he made the recipe he was near Colmar, which is in Alsace.
Rick Stein married an Aussie, and has an aussie restaurant, so we are very fond of him here. I’ve never heard his name pronounced as anything other than ‘Stine’ tho!! And his son Jack, also a chef, has spent a lot of time here. And they have both made many tv shows here too!
Oh interesting! Well I can see how easy it is to mispronounce his name and he probably doesn’t care!
We barged through the Alsace region where tarte flambé is a traditional recipe. I love Rick Stein so will look out for this series. PS, I would swap pancetta for lardons if you cannot get whole back bacon.
Okay, good suggestion. I just never thought about lardons being something unique, so I wanted to buy the right thing!
I love this – my version (besides creme fraiche) includes fromage blanc. I could eat this every week if my body could handle it :)
Ohhh wouldn’t that be lovely?!!
Well, that looks good! French cooking is the best!
Exactly!
I use to watch a lot of Rick Stein’s TV shows and never thought of pronouncing it as Steen as well. Anyways that Tarte Flambee looks great, reminds me of a white pizza
I really love white pizza – especially with a smoked mozzarella!
Hi Mimi,
If I can add my two cents worth- I live in walking distance to the Alsace (kidding, its 20 miles) right around Karlsruhe. There are two dishes involved here. One is the tarte flambée, which is a french staple anywhere in France. The other thing is the Flammkuchen, as the Germans call it (in Alsace, where they speak a kind of antiquated dialect, it is called Flammekueche). They both mean the same thing: A cake made over/or in flames. You can make it in a baker’s oven, but often there is only a grill. The difference between a tarte flambée and and a flammekueche is that the original version of the Alsation doesn’t come with cheese. The original version just calls for creme fraiche, lardons, and thinly slices onions (red onions are in fashion now, but I remember when it was just white onions). There are many versions nowadays, to include sweet and also cheesy versions, but bear in mind that Alsace, or Elsaß, as the Germans call it, is a very popular place to visit and shop at, because the French have a lot of superior and less expensive food products than the Germans. Also, a flammkueche will be a piece of dough with no leavening, and very thin. It is traditional to be served Flammkueche with crisped or burnt edges.
Yes! This is all in keeping with the recipe, although I didn’t let the crust get too burnt. As far as the cheese, I don’t know, I was just following this recipe, and I prefer anything with cheese! I’ve been to Colmar and Ribeauvillé, but I need to see more of Alsace. It’s so beautiful. My grandfather was Alsatian.
Mimi thanks for the reminder about Rick Stien’s book, I watched a few of the Secret France programs before Christmas and loved them, time has gotten away. I’m travelling to SW France in April so need to do some more research. Your tarte flambee looks delicious. My son tells me that ordinary pizzas in France are quite expensive to buy.
Probably because they don’t like Italians! The show really is good. I only watched 4 episodes I think and then bought the book! So I need to finish it.
Yay! Rick Stein is my favourite UK chef. My other half and I have eaten at his restaurant in Padstow. I loved it. Even my wife who isn’t big on fish had a fish course and loved it too. Unfortunately the big man himself wasn’t there. Probably off filming another BBC TV show at that time. But I’ve cooked many of his recipes myself and I’m just such a huge fan! Your tarte flambee looks great Mimi!
I know he’s really popular. Probably not only because of his skills, but also his demeanor and style. Someone you could easily be friends with, or at least have lunch with!
This recipe looks and sounds amazing! I love how true you stayed to the recipe – it must be like being transported to France! Me, it’s one I’d have to “cheat” on! Thanks for sharing all the information about the chefs. So fun to hear and I am going to have to check out that show!
Mollie
I’m sure you can find him – he seems to have had a lot of shows over the years!
YUM! When we were on a Rhine cruise a few years back, this is one of the dishes their chef made for us. It tasted great, but the recipe they passed out was lacking. Glad I have yours!
Oh that’s too bad. There’s not much to the recipe in the first place! I wonder what’s different.
This is fabulous, Mimi! I make something similar with puff pastry, but your version (Rick’s version) sounds so elegant.
Well, so is puff pastry!
Quite an irresistible dish! Simple, yet so complex in flavors. It must be twice as tasty, with both Emmental and Gruyere.
I prefer Gruyere over Emmental but I did like both together!
Wow, this sounds incredible, Mimi. So great you found the show and it brought back such delicious food memories. A restaurant on a cliff in England, at sunset no less, sounds amazing! :-) ~Valentina
It was beautiful. I would love to see more of Cornwall!
I can eat this every week! The crust looks so crispy and I love all the lardon and cheese!!
I ate one piece and gave the rest to my husband to hide. It was too good!
Mimi, Alex explained in her comment the difference between Flammenkuchen and Tart flambé . The way it was explained to me was that the bakers when they had leftover dough make this pizza like cake and added anything they had to it. Today you can find Flammenkuchen in restaurants in Germany with all different toppings. I have to try your recipe.
Yes, I’ve made flammenkuchen before. And kasfladen! They’re all variations and all good! good!
Well, this is a recipe I wouldn’t share. I think I could eat the whole thing!
I had to pass it on to my husband, so I didn’t keep “testing” it!!!
Yes, it does look like pizza without using yeast. I thought ‘Alex’s’ detailed comment (above) was very helpful- especially the difference between Tarte Flambee and Flammkuchen.
Yes, there are so many similarities with this kind of dish. Probably within Alsace itself there are many different variations. But I wouldn’t make it without the cheese!