Apple & Ham Flammkuchen

An oven-baked thin-crust flatbread with a Creme fraiche, apple, and ham topping.

Image by the author

German Flammkuchen is a specialty of the French regions of Alsace and the Moselle. It is also a specialty of the German provinces of Baden and the Palatinate (Source: Wikipedia).

Flammkuchen is many times referred to as a “German pizza” by English ex-pats. However, it might look like a pizza but it is not. A flammkuchen has a very thin crispy base with a Creme fraiche topping. Creme fraiche is a thicker type of sour cream cultured with bacteria.

Creme fraiche has a higher fat content than sour cream which is ideal for cooking and baking. In this recipe, 3 tablespoons of thick Greek yogurt mixed with a tablespoon of olive oil can be used to substitute Creme fraiche.

You can be versatile with the toppings you add on the Creme fraiche layer. Traditionally, flammkuchen from Alsace has bacon and onions on it.

Here are a couple of variations of topping I enjoyed in local restaurants:

• avocado and feta
• ham and mushrooms,
• salami and bell peppers,
• ham and a strong cheese like Munster cheese
• pear and Camembert