Time for Onion Tarte - Zeit fuer Zwiebelkuchen
Fall is the time of the year when Alsatians and wine loving Germans think: "Zwiebelkuchen"! For this mellow sweet onion pastry is the perfect companion to new wine.
If you travel in fall through the wine growing areas left and right of the Rhine, you will find inns, restaurants and many vinyards offering sparkling new wine (Federweisser). They often serve it together with freshly baked Zwiebelkuchen (Onion Tarte) or, an equally tasty variation, Porreekuchen (Leek Tarte).
But beware - Onion Tarte is an aider and abetter of that seemingly feathery light youngster, helping it go down so smoothly, that you are tempted to drink it like lemonade! When you wake up the next morning you realize why Federweisser is also called: "Sauser" (Buzzer) - there's something buzzing in your stomach and your head is spinning...
You find the recipe for Zwiebelkuchen or Leek Tarte here: http://hanseata.blogspot.com/2010/09/zwiebelkuchen-onion-or-leek-tarte.html
Leek Tarte
Comments
Having lived in Germany I know very well about "Sauser". The tart looks delicious. I've also had them in the Alsace where they are very famous and the Lorraine. I have to admit I'm not big on savory tarts, but love Zwiebelkuchen. Often when we drove from Switzerland to Germany we stopped overnight somewhere in the Alsace and enjoyed Zwiebelkuchen.
Regards,
Patricia
It is such a pretty tart! I love the flavor of leeks!!
Sylvia
Patricia, you are right - the nice thing about the Zwiebelkuchen is its mellow sweetness (a natural one from the onion). I find it highly addictive, same as the slightly stronger tasting leek variation. These are also some of my party staples, you can also do them on a baking sheet (3 x ingredients) for a larger crowd.
Sylvia, it's hard to decide which variation taste better. My husband prefers the Leek Tarte and I love both. I planted some leeks this year, but they were overwhelmed and beaten down by the kohlrabis, broccolis and cauliflowers - my fault, I planted them too dense. So I had to come up with a lot of cabbage-y recipes, and I don't know whether we will manage to "eat them down".
Karin
Hi Karin,
I've always loved onion tarts ever since I had one at Le Crocodile restaurant in Vancouver B.C. http://lecrocodilerestaurant.com/
This one was in the Alsace style but not that much different from yours...which looks wonderful! I've made 2 or 3 myself over the years but never was able to duplicate the one from Le Croc. If I remember correctly it was made with a pate brisee rather than pate feuillette and used bacon instead of ham, but other than that, yours and Chef Jacob's seem very similar. Thanks so much for sharing your recipe with us. I'm really looking forward to making it.
ATB,
Franko
Franko, in my friend Andrea's original recipe it is "Rohschinken", cured ham, but I already used cooked and smoked ham, domestic prosciutto, speck, and, also bacon. All tasted just fine.
I'm sure you can use pate brisee, too, but the frozen puff pastry is an easy and quick way to do it at home, and tastes very good.
Anyway, there are a lot of different recipes for Zwiebelkuchen, the leek version was added by me, because I like leeks and it is as good as the onion version.
Karin
In Schwabeland (southwestern Germany), where my father was born and raised, Zwiebelkuchen is always made with a yeast base, served, of course, with new wine at a"Besenwirtschaft," which translates to "broom inn." I have no idea why it's called that, but they are usually at the home of the vintner, or in a winery building, under a temporary license to sell food (usually 2 weeks). It is communal seating only, and people are usually singing and/or talking loudly. It is a lovely tradition, even if the food is not always hot or plentiful enough!
for Dillbert! This recipe sounds very good, too! It must have a much thicker onion filling than my version.
Thanks, Corinaesq!
your tarte turned out, Daisy, and I'm glad you liked it!
My recipe program is already filled with all kind of interesting TFL recipes - but right now I'm fasting, and any bakery for myself has to wait until the weekend.
Karin
It's going quite well. We do it once or twice a year to detox, get rid of some pounds - and, also, my husband gets less migraines for several months.
Karin