This week you will find in your plates a rather original tarte flambée (without yeast), with parsnip, pear, onion and walnuts, served with a celery and carrot salad with a mustard vinaigrette. 

The tarte flambée dates back to a habit of farmers in previous centuries in the Kochersberg region of Alsace, at the gateway to Lorraine and Germany. Until the 19th century, every farm in Kochersberg used to bake its bread at the end of the week for the next seven days. In order to test the oven temperature, the farmers made large flamed pies (flamenkuche in Alsatian) in a hurry over a wood fire. All the leftovers were used: excess dough, sour cream, bacon, all with onions. This tarte flambée was later offered to the farm workers of the large estates, who ate them like sandwiches, with their fingers. Today it is a must in Alsatian gastronomy.

There are many variations like the one you are being offered this week. From your base you can add anything you want, emmental, mushroom, paprika, etc, and even make sweet ones like the apple one!

And you, how do you like your tarte flambée?