Certain foods, like this Spelt Flammkuchen (aka German Pizza), always conjure up memories for me. Some of them aren’t always ones I want to remember but others are fond and extremely precious memories to me now. This recipe does just that.
Back in 2009 I spent two amazing weeks in Germany with my Mom over Christmas and New Years where amongst eating our way through the local restaurants and looking up in awe at the ancient cathedrals we toured all the different Christmas markets with their adorable wooden stands, endless mouthwatering sweet and savoury treats and handmade gifts.
Here in Gengenbach is where I had Flammkuchen for the first time with my Mom. It’s a super thin crust pizza/flatbread smeared with creme fraiche, onions and schinkenspeck and cooked in a wood fired oven… so simple yet wildly tasty. Paired with a hot mug of Gluhwein (aka mulled wine) and I was in total food bliss. The memories from that trip will last a lifetime.
Now, years later, I’ve made a few adjustments to the original Flammkuchen recipe (like bacon instead of schinkenspeck and sour cream if you can’t find creme fraiche) simply to make it more accessible but I think it’s just as tasty… and it does it’s job well at bringing back that wonderful memory for me.
Happy baking!
Spelt Flammkuchen (German Pizza)
Ingredients
- 3 cups organic, all-purpose spelt flour also called white spelt flour
- 1 tbsp instant yeast
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 3/4 cup lukewarm water
- 1 cup creme fraiche or full fat sour cream
- 2 large yellow onions sliced very thin
- 1 cup bacon cut into small pieces
Instructions
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In a large bowl, mix the flour, yeast and salt. Drizzle the olive oil on top and add the water. With your hands, mix the dough until it comes together. Turn the dough out onto the counter or work surface and continue kneading until the dough is smooth. Form it into a ball, place it back in the bowl, cover with a dishtowel or plastic wrap and let it rise for 1 hour.
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Once the dough as risen, turn the oven on to its highest temperature and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide the dough in half using a large knife or dough scraper and set one half aside. Flour the counter or work surface and roll one piece of dough out until it is very thin and the size of the baking sheet. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet and tug the edges to the sides of the sheet so it is even.
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Spread half the creme fraiche (or sour cream) on top leaving a 1/4 inch border around the edge. Spread half the onions and bacon evenly on top. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges are crisp and dark brown. Remove from the oven and top with freshly ground pepper before serving. Repeat with the remaining dough.
