A simple tart with an easy flatbread base topped with crème fraiche, sweet onions, smokey lardons and a sprinkling of cheese. It makes a hearty lunch and is perfect with a sharp and savoury kale and apple caesar-style salad. If you haven’t got the time or inclination to make the dough you can spread the same toppings on a some baguette or a shop bought flatbread instead and bake until melted and bubbly.
Serves four for lunch
Ingredients
For the flat bread base
250g plain flour
2 tbsp vegetable oil
A good pinch of salt
125-150ml warm water
Toppings
1 knob of butter and a little olive oil for frying
1 large onion finely slice
1tsp sugar
150g smoked bacon lardons
4 tbsp crème fraiche
Freshly ground nutmeg (to taste)
Salt and pepper
A handful or two of grated cheese – comté, gruyere, gouda, cheddar – whatever you have in the fridge.
For the kale and apple Caesar salad
A large bunch of curly kale, stripped from its stalks and torn or shredded
1 large apple sliced
A handful of croutons (either shop bought or made by tossing cubes of old bread in olive oil, salt and pepper and baking at 180c until golden and crisp – between 5-10mins.)
100g Greek yogurt
1 tbsp crème fraiche
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp garlic granules
50g parmesan grated plus extra to shave to top of the salad
Method
Pre-heat your oven to 200c/390f. Put a baking tray in the oven to heat up.
To make the flat bread dough make a well in the flour, add the oil and the salt and begin to add the water, mixing with your hands or a table knife, slowly bringing the flour into the water mixture until you have formed a dough that leaves the bowl clean. You may not need the full amount of water. Knead briefly, just until smooth. If your dough is too sticky just add a little more flour, too dry add a little more water. It should be soft and smooth. Cover and set aside.
Place a frying pan over a medium heat and melt your butter and oil, add the sliced onions and cook gently until translucent. Sprinkle over the sugar and continue to cook until sweet and caramelised – about 15 minutes. Stir regularly and take care that they don’t catch and burn. Remove the onions and set aside. Add the lardons to the pans and cook until just golden and crisp.
Mix together the crème fraiche and nutmeg and some salt and pepper to taste.
On a lightly floured surface roll out your dough to about 5 mm thick, transfer to a sheet of parchment paper. Spread the dough with the crème fraiche mixture and scatter over the onions and lardons. Sprinkle with the grated cheese and then use the parchment paper to slide the tart onto the baking tray that has been pre-heating in the oven.
Bake for 10-15 minutes until bubbling and golden.
Meanwhile make the ceasar salad. Toss the kale, apple slices and croutons together in a large bowl. In another bowl mix together the Greek yogurt, crème fraiche, Worcestershire sauce, garlic granules and parmesan. Pour over the salad and toss again. Shave some extra parmesan on top and serve alongside the tarte flambée.
