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Tarte flambée
In the world of flatbread, it doesn’t get much easier
than this. Three simple ingredients top this classic
from Alsace, but it’s all about the finer detail. Slice the
onion as thinly as possible and use flavourful smoky
bacon or speck. Bake the bread until it’s scorched on
the edges, too – it’s all the better for it.
Prep time 15 mins, cook 12 mins (plus proving)
Makes 2
7 gm (1 sachet) dried yeast
200 gm bread flour, plus extra for dusting
50 gm (⅓ cup) buckwheat flour
Vegetable oil, for greasing
150 gm crème fraîche
½ onion, sliced as thinly as possible on
a mandolin
120 gm smoky bacon or speck, cut into lardons
Finely grated nutmeg, to taste
Thyme, to serve1 Dissolve yeast in 180ml lukewarm water in a
bowl and set aside until foamy (10-15 minutes).
Add flours and ½ tsp salt, mix to form a soft dough,
then knead until smooth and elastic (4-5 minutes).
Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, cover
bowl with plastic wrap and stand until doubled in
size (1-1½ hours).
2 Preheat oven to 250C and heat 2 heavy baking
trays in oven. Knock back dough on a lightly
floured surface and halve. Roll each piece as
thinly as possible to a rough 25cm x 30cm
rectangle, then place on a piece of baking paper.
Spread each with half the crème fraîche, scatter
with onion and bacon. Sprinkle with nutmeg,
season to taste, then transfer on baking paper
to heated trays and bake, swapping trays halfway
through cooking, until cooked through and lightly
scorched on the edges (10-12 minutes). Scatter
with thyme, season to taste and serve.
Wine suggestion Riesling from Alsace.#stir in ginger, chilli, garlic and cumin seeds, add to
potato, mix to combine, then stir in coriander and
garam masala, and season to taste.
2 Combine flours and baking powder in a bowl
with 1 tsp salt, make a well in the centre then add
250ml water to well and mix to form a rough
dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface
and knead until smooth and elastic (4-5 minutes).
Stand at room temperature to rest for 15 minutes,
then divide into 4 equal pieces.
3 Preheat oven to 150C. Roll a piece of dough
to an 18cm-diameter round. Form a quarter of
the potato filling into a loose patty and place
in the centre of the dough. Fold dough over the
filling to form a pouch and pinch edges to seal.
Flatten slightly with the palm of your hand, turn
seam-side down and roll out to a 1.5cm-thick
round. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
4 Heat a tablespoon of ghee in a frying pan over
medium heat and fry parathas one at a time until
golden brown on the base (1-2 minutes), then turn
and repeat. Place on a wire rack over a tray and
keep warm in a low oven while you cook remaining.
Serve hot with lime wedges and green chilli.
Drink suggestion Indian lager.3 Meanwhile, toss potatoes with 2 tbsp olive oil,
season to taste and roast with pork at 220C until
goldenbrown and crisp (25-30 minutes), then
set aside. When ready to serve, return chips to
the oven to warm through, then season to taste
and toss with remaining paprika.
4 Meanwhile, for pita, stir flour, yeast and 1 tsp
salt in a bowl to combine and make a well in the
centre. Add 200ml lukewarm water to well and
mix to form a soft dough. Turn out onto a lightly
floured work surface, knead until smooth and
elastic, cover with plastic wrap and rest at room
temperature to prove slightly (30 minutes). Divide
dough into 8 equal balls and roll out as thinly as
possible on a lightly floured work surface. Heat a
large frying pan over medium-high heat and cook
each flatbread, turning once, until lightly scorched
on each side (2-3 minutes).
5 For sumac mayo, stir ingredients in a bowl
to combine and season to taste.
6 Place half the pitas on a work surface and top
with sliced pork. Drizzle with mayo, top with
parsley, onion and chilli and a small handful of
chips, scatter with lemon rind and extra sumac,
season to taste and sandwich with remaining pita.
7 Heat a splash of oil in a large frying pan over
medium-high heat and fry skepastis in batches
until golden brown on the base (1-2 minutes),
then carefully turn over and repeat. Serve with
extra chips.
Drink suggestion Cold Italian lager.
Aloo paratha
Look away if you’re carb-averse – this potato-filled
Indian flatbread is a carb-on-carb triumph. The
unyeasted dough is quick to make, and the filling is
full of spice. Little florets of roasted cauliflower would
make a great addition, too.
Prep time 20 mins, cook 45 mins (plus resting)
Makes 4
300 gm (2 cups) plain flour, plus extra for
dusting
75 gm (^1 / 2 cup) plain wholemeal flour
¼ tsp baking powder
Ghee, for frying
Lime wedges and thinly sliced green chilli,
to serve
Spiced potato filling
500 gm chat potatoes, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp ghee
½ onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp finely grated ginger
1 long green chilli, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp coarsely chopped coriander
1 tsp garam masala1 For filling, cover potatoes with plenty of cold
salted water in a large saucepan, bring to the boil
and cook until tender when pierced with a knife
(12-15 minutes). Drain well and coarsely mash.
Melt ghee in a frying pan over medium-high heat,
add onion and fry, stirring occasionally, until
caramelised (6-8 minutes). Remove from heat,Aloo paratha