HomeFOOD & WINEOur go-to Summer wine …

Our go-to Summer wine …

Cool climate Constantia Glen Sauvignon Blanc is perfect for hot Summer days. Made in the Constantia Valley – known for its exceptional cool-climate wines – it has a wonderfully appealing underlying perfume of elderflower. The wines costs R195, and you can order online at constantiaglen.com. The wine is served at the estate’s restaurant with its famous, crispy flammkuchen – a thin, crisp flatbread layered with crème fraîche and a variety of delicious toppings.

CLASSIC FLAMMKUCHEN RECIPE

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Flammkuchen dough recipe (makes 4)
500g white bread flour; 7g salt; 320ml warm water; 1 little olive oil

Traditional flammkuchen topping  

12 strips of bacon, cut into small squares or cubes; 2 onions, finely sliced into rings; 250g crème fraiche (or sour cream); 230g natural Greek yoghurt; 1 tsp nutmeg; ¾ tsp salt; 5 leeks, chopped; freshly ground black pepper; fresh thyme (optional)

Method:

Combine all dough recipe ingredients in a large bowl to form a rough dough. Knead dough for 10 minutes until it’s  smooth, elastic, stretchy and velvety. Place dough back into bowl and cover with a lid. Leave to rest for 2 – 4 hours at room temperature (or overnight in the fridge).

Preheat oven and a baking tray to 250°C (the highest temperature possible) for 30 minutes before baking. If you have a pizza stone, preheat the oven and the pizza stone 1 hour before. Divide the dough into 4 parts (8 parts for smaller sized flammkuchen). Shape each part into a ball and leave to rest for 10 minutes.

Combine the crème fraîche and yoghurt in a small bowl, add the nutmeg, salt and pepper and mix well. Roll out the dough pieces (2-3 mm) and transfer to baking tray. Leave to rest for 15 minutes.

Fry bacon strips briefly until almost cooked, don’t let them get crispy. Fry the onion rings and leeks in the same pan until slightly browned. If you’re making all 4 flammkuchen but baking only one at a time, don’t add the topping to all of them at once. Generously spread the cream mixture evenly onto the base, leaving a small border round the edge (this will turn golden-brown and crispy). Scatter the onion rings and bacon on top and sprinkle with thyme, if using. Bake for about 12 minutes or until the edges are nicely browned and the bottom is crisp.

Serve immediately.

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