Best 5 Alsatian Tart Recipes

TARTE FLAMBEE (ALSATIAN BACON & ONION TART)

Steps:

• Place bacon in a skillet and cook over medium-high heat until cooked but not crisp and fat has rendered out, about 8 minutes. Drain in a strainer; reserve the fat.
• Place skillet back over medium heat. Add sliced onions. Cook briefly just until they lose their raw edge and soften up slightly, 3 to 5 minutes. Add a teaspoon or 2 of bacon fat if pan seems too dry. Remove skillet from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Mix fromage blanc, creme fraiche, nutmeg, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper together in a mixing bowl.
• Place 1 ball of pizza dough on a well-floured surface. Flatten and roll out to a 10- or 12-inch thin circle. Transfer to a cold cast iron pan. Heat over medium-high heat to pre-cook the bottom of the crust. As dough heats and bubbles appear, deflate them with the tines of a fork so crust ends up thin and crisp (not chewy). When bottom is nicely browned and just about to start getting charred, 5 to 7 minutes, remove from heat. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Spread a generous amount of cheese mixture over the crust. Top evenly with some onions and then the bacon. Broil 5 or 6 minutes until edges are browned and starting to lift. Repeat for remaining tartes.

ALSATIAN CHEESE TART

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.
• Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 12-inch square, then transfer to a large baking sheet.
• Blend cottage cheese, sour cream, salt, and pepper in a blender until smooth.
• Cook bacon in a 10-inch skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until it just begins to brown, about 5 minutes. (Bacon should be tender, not crisp.) Remove from heat.
• Spread cheese mixture evenly over pastry, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Scatter bacon and onion on top, then sprinkle with parmesan. Bake until pastry is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Cut into 36 pieces and serve warm.

ALSATIAN ONION TART

Steps:

• Sift the flour into a large bowl then rub in the butter with your (clean) fingers until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Mix the egg yolks with the salt and 3 tablespoons water. Stir into the flour, using a knife, to make a soft and smooth (but not sticky) dough. Add the extra tablespoon of water if the mixture is too dry.
• Pat the dough into a ball, wrap up in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 220C/425°F.
• Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and use to line a 10-inch tart pan.
• Prick the pastry all over with a fork and bake blind for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
• Lower the temperature of the oven to 190C/375F and place a baking sheet in the oven to heat.
• Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the onions, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper. Cover and cook gently until the onions are soft and transparent, stirring occasionally.
• Add the wine and simmer, uncovered, until all the liquid has evaporated.
• Remove the bay leaf and taste for seasoning.
• Whisk the eggs and cream together.
• Spread the onions into the pastry crust and pour in the egg mixture.
• Place on the hot baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
• May be served hot or room temperature.

ALSATIAN-STYLE APPLE AND CREAM TART

Steps:

• To make the tart:
• Roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick on a lightly floured surface and fit it into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable fluted rim. Prick the shell with a fork and chill it for at least 30 minutes or, covered, overnight. Line the shell with foil, fill the foil with the rice, and bake the shell in the lower third of a preheated 425°F. oven for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and the rice carefully, bake the shell 10 minutes more, or until it is pale golden, and let it cool in the pan on a rack.
• In a bowl stir together the apples, peeled, cored, and cut into eighths, the lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of the sugar and toss the mixture until the apples are coated well. In a large bowl whisk together the yolks, the cream, 2 1/2 tablespoons of the remaining sugar, a pinch of salt, and the vanilla and stir in the raisins. Arrange the apples decoratively in the shell, pour the cream mixture over them, and sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon over it. Bake the tart in the middle of a preheated 375°F. oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until the apples are tender when pierced with a cake tester, let it cool in the pan on a rack, and remove the rim.
• To make the pâte brisée:
• In a large bowl blend the flour, the butter, the vegetable shortening, and the salt until the mixture resembles meal. Add 2 tablespoons ice water, toss the mixture until the water is incorporated, adding more ice water if necessary to form a dough, and form the dough into a ball. Dust the dough with flour and chill it, wrapped in wax paper, for 1 hour.

ALSATIAN BEEF AND MUSHROOM TART

Steps:

• Prepare the tart shell and set it aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Heat two teaspoons of the butter in a skillet and add the onions. Cook, stirring, until they are wilted. Add the beef and cook, stirring and breaking up any lumps with the side of a heavy metal spoon. Cook until the meat has lost its raw look. If any fat has accumulated, drain it off in a sieve and discard it.
• Add the remaining butter, the mushrooms, green pepper, celery, marjoram, salt and pepper.
• Combine the whole egg, egg yolk, cream, milk and chives or scallions in a mixing bowl and beat thoroughly. Add the meat mixture and stir to blend.
• Pour the mixture into the tart shell. Place a baking sheet in the oven. Put the filled tart shell on the sheet and bake 30 to 35 minutes or until the custard is set.