Everybody that has ever visited this site knows that Mrs. NH and I are absolutely bonkers about Flammkuchen. Well, last Saturday we had some foie gras that needed a home and a boatload of Flammkuchen toppings (recently purchased in Munich) that also needed to be used. That, combined with friends that like to eat almost as much as we do, made the perfect impromptu party. It also helped that the friends in question came with a nice Swiss Pinot Noir.
So, there we were. A Saturday night after trick-or-treating, with a new recipe in hand and people in the house. We had to get it right. As far as I can tell we did. It takes some work but was worth every second. We made four pizzas for five adults and they disappeared – even with foie gras and other appetizers. I guess we worked up quite an appetite (and thirst!) keeping up with the kids on their quest for candy.
The dough is a staple, introduced to me by Scampwalker. However, we came up with the method for perfection on the spot. We made the dough, flattened it and then grilled it lightly on both sides. After that, we brought it in the house, put it on a heavily cornmealed pizza paddle, dressed it and then popped it on a pizza stone in a very hot oven. The results were nothing short of awe-inspiring. Awe inspiring because the turned out perfectly and awe-inspiring because we had never done them before. In fact, I was so awe-struck that I didn’t remember to take any pictures. Use your imagination. [UPDATE: That’s a photo from batch a couple weeks later…]
For the Dough:
1 pkg dry yeast (or about a teaspoon of active cake yeast)
1 tsp sugar
2/3 cup warm water
1 2/3 cups flour (all-purpose or half and half with whole wheat)
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp olive oil
Mix yeast & water to proof for 10 minutes.
Put metal blade in food processor, pour in flour and salt, and turn on machine. Pour yeast through tube and process for 45 seconds. Add oil and process another minute. Dough should ball up… if not, add a bit of flour until it does.
Let it rise for an hour in a ball (covered in a greased bowl), then cut in two to make two 10-inch pizzas, and let rise again (15 minutes or so is usually enough. Grill the crust until golden with grill marks on each side. Then, take of the grill and bring it in to be topped and finished in the oven.
For the Topping:
2 cups crème fraiche
2 cups chopped ham
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
ground black pepper
Sauté your onions in olive oil until translucent. Then add the ham and pepper. Spread the crème fraiche on the crust, then sprinkle it with the cooked onion and ham mixture all the way out to the edges. Put on a pizza stone in a 500 degree oven until crème fraiche begins to bubble. Slice in wedges and enjoy!
NotHemingway 
thanks, that will be it for summer solstice!