Flame Cake, but not a cake

It is a flatbread, a speciality of Alsace area of eastern France, and in the German areas of the Moselle, Baden, and the Palatinate. 

Farmers in Kochersberg, Alsace, France use to bake bread once a week. As a homemade bread, there are many variations. 

To name a few:

Gratinée add Gruyère cheese

Forestière, add mushrooms

Munter, add Munster cheese

Sweet dessert with apples and cinnamon, or blueberries, and flambéed with sweet liqueur

and different names in local dialects for "(pie) baked in the flames':

Flàmmeküeche or Flàmmaküacha (Alsatian "Elsässisch")

Flammkuche (Lorraine Franconian)

Flammkuchen (German)

tarte flambée (French, and cooked in a wood-fired oven)

Makes one loaf

Preheat the oven to 428ºF/25oºC

~Use organic as best you can.~

• 2 Tbs. (30 ml) olive oil
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) water
• pinch of Himalayan salt
• 2 cups (250 g) (gluten-free) flour

~Alsatian numbers~

eins 1. Whisk the water, oil, and flour.

zwei 2. Place the dour on a lightly floured surface.

 drèï 3. Rolling out a thin piece of dough.

viar 4. Place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

• 2 organic onions, sliced very thin

femf 5. Place in a bowl with little water. Microwave for a minute.

varying toppings:

I. Traditional

• cubed bacon
• 1/4 cup (50 g) each: crème fraiche or (dairy-free) yogurt and (dairy-free) sour cream
• black pepper
• chopped chives 

six 6. Season the crème fraiche and sour cream with salt and pepper.

sewwer 7. Spread on the dough with a slight edge exposed.

ååcht 8. add the onions and bacon.

nîn 9. Bake 10-15 minutes until the edges turn crisp and golden brown.

zeh 10. Remove and sever with chives.

II. Vegetarian

• blanch spinach
• cherry tomatoes cut in half
• some slice onion
• clover of garlic
• feta cheese
• 1/4 cup (50 g) crème fraiche and sour cream

elf 11. Mix in a bowl of crème fraiche and sour cream 

zwelf 12. Spread on the dough, leaving an edge.

drize 13. Add the other ingredients and bake 10-15 minutes.

III. Suggested other toppings:

• cooked ground meat
• zucchini slices
• sausages
• sauerkraut
• asparagus shavings
• artichoke
• thin slices of potatoes
• kale
• finely diced bell peppers
• different types of (dairy-free) cheeses
• apples, cream cheese, berries, etc.
• mushrooms
• olives
• parsley, basil, Italian spice
• or your favorite toppings

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Lamb Calzone

 I really like calzones and lamb, but a meat calzone is nearly $20. I make my own and use lamb.-Mike

Calzone d'agnello (Italian)

Makes 4

Preheat the oven to 375F (190C)

2 Tbs. (30 ml) olive oil

1 Tbs. (15 g) each: minced organic garlic and chopped mint

1 pound (455 g) organic ground lamb

1 tsp. (2 g) each: paprika, cumin and harissa paste

1/2 tsp. (1 g) chili flakes

1 Tbs. (15 ml) organic lemon juice

1/2 cup (120 ml) water

16 ounce 455 g) pizza dough ball

olive oil for brushing

marinara sauce* for dipping

• cheeses: Mozzarella, parmesan, sharp cheddar, feta, and/or goat
• vegetables: mushrooms, bell peppers, pepperoncini, marinated artichokes, spinach and/or red onion
• sauces: pizza or white sauce

optional: 

• anything you want that goes on a pizza 
• meats: salami, pepperoni, Canadian bacon, ham, chicken, Italian sausage, steak strips and/or meatballs

~Italain~

uno 1. Sauté the vegetables in oil over medium heat for 3 minutes.

due 2. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds.

tre 3. Add the lamb and any other meat that need cooking,  2 minutes.

quattro 4. Add the seasonings, harissa, lemon, and water and any optional ingredients. Cook until moisture is reduce by half.

cinque 5. Remove from the heat and still in chilies, mint, and spinach.

sei 6. Add the cheeses and fold together.

sette 7. Cut the dough into fourths or make two large calzones. Gently stretch each piece into a thin round. 

 (a) Sprinkle the dough with a little flour.

otto 8. Add 1 cup (130 g) of lamb filling to the center of each round with some sauce.

nove 9. Fold dough around filling and fold/pinch edge closed to seal.

dieci 10. Place on a parchment-lined sheet pan and brush with a little olive oil.

undici 11. Bake until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.

dodici 12. Serve marinara sauce on the side.

*Homemade marinara sauce

~Sicilian~

unu 1. In a saucepan over medium heat add 2 Tbs. (30 ml) 0live oil.

dui 2. Sauté a diced organic onion for 5 minutes.

tri 3. Stir in organic garlic clove(s) and sauté a minute.

quattru 4. Add crushed organic tomatoes, oregano, and Italian spices.

cincu 5. Simmer covered for 15 minutes.

sei 6. Stir in chopped basil. 

P.S. Make more and used the sauce in:

• stuffed chicken parmesan 
• lasagna
• with meatballs
• spaghetti meat sauce
• lasagna roll-ups
• etc.

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