Tarte Flambé Recipe

Activate yeast and make dough

In a small bowl combine warm water (about 110°F / 43°C) and active dry yeast. Stir and let sit 5–7 minutes until foamy. In a large bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Make a well and add foamy yeast, olive oil. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.

Knead and rest

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead 6–8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Form into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a towel, and let rest at room temperature 45–60 minutes until roughly doubled in size.

Shape base

Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C) with a pizza stone or an inverted baking sheet inside. Punch down the dough and divide into two equal portions for two thin tartes (each about 10–12 inches). On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion very thin (1/8 inch) into an oval or rectangle. Transfer to parchment paper for easy handling.

Par-bake (optional for very crisp base)

Brush lightly with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and dock (prick) the surface with a fork. Bake on the hot stone or sheet 4–6 minutes until just starting to take color but not browned. Remove from oven; set aside. If you prefer to bake fully assembled, skip par-bake and proceed to assembly then bake 8–10 minutes until edges crisp.

While dough rests, whisk together fromage blanc, whole milk, lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt and black pepper in a small bowl until smooth and spreadable. Taste and adjust seasoning. Chill until ready to use.

Cook onions low and slow

In a large skillet set over medium heat, melt butter with olive oil. Add the thinly sliced onions and 1/2 tsp salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until translucent and starting to brown, about 10–15 minutes.

Caramelize & finish jam

Lower heat to medium-low, add granulated sugar and continue to cook 8–12 minutes, stirring frequently, until deep golden and jammy. Add apple cider vinegar, water and thyme; simmer 2–3 minutes until vinegar reduces and mixture is glossy. Season with remaining salt and black pepper. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

If you par-baked the crust: spread an even layer (about 1/2 cup) of the fromage blanc mixture over each par-baked crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Spoon small dollops (about 3–4 tablespoons) of warm onion jam evenly over the fromage blanc. Tear prosciutto slices into pieces and arrange lightly over the top. Brush edges with remaining olive oil.

If you skipped par-bake: spread fromage blanc directly onto the rolled dough on parchment, then top with onion jam and prosciutto as above.

Bake on the hot stone or inverted sheet at 500°F (260°C) for 6–10 minutes, rotating once if necessary, until edges are deeply golden and crisp and toppings are heated through. Watch closely to avoid burning.

Remove from oven and immediately scatter chopped chives and optional fresh arugula over the tarte. Finish with a light sprinkle of coarse sea salt and a small drizzle (about 1 tsp per tarte) of olive oil. Let rest 2–3 minutes, then slice into 6–8 pieces.