Belgian Leek and Bacon Tart
Flamiche
A savory tart featuring tender leeks, crispy bacon, and a creamy custard filling, all encased in a flaky pastry crust. This dish, often called Flamiche, is a comforting and flavorful representation of Belgian cuisine, perfect as an appetizer, light lunch, or dinner.
🧂 Ingredients
- 1.5 cups All-purpose flour(plus more for dusting)
- 7 tablespoons Cold unsalted butter(cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
- 0.25 teaspoon Salt
- 4 tablespoons Ice water(or more as needed)
- 200 g Smoked streaky bacon(chopped)
- 6 medium Large leeks(trimmed, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced)
- 1 tablespoon Unsalted butter
- 3 large Eggs
- 175 ml Half-fat crème fraîche
- 125 g Gruyère cheese(grated)
- 0.5 teaspoon Black pepper(freshly ground)
- 1 pinch Nutmeg(freshly grated)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
For the pastry: In a food processor, combine flour, salt, and cold butter. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. Gradually add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing until the dough just begins to come together. Do not overmix. Form the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- 2
Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to fit a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Gently press the dough into the pan, trimming any excess. Prick the bottom all over with a fork. Line with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the parchment and weights, and bake for another 10 minutes until lightly golden. Set aside.
- 3
While the crust bakes, cook the chopped bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the skillet.
- 4
Add the sliced leeks and 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet with the reserved bacon fat. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are very soft, about 15-20 minutes. Do not let them brown.
- 5
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, crème fraîche, grated Gruyère cheese, nutmeg, and black pepper.
- 6
Spread the cooked leeks evenly over the bottom of the par-baked tart shell. Sprinkle the crispy bacon over the leeks. Pour the egg and cheese mixture over the filling.
- 7
Reduce oven temperature to 180°C (350°F). Bake the tart for 25-30 minutes, or until the filling is set and the top is golden brown. Let the tart cool on a wire rack for at least 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Ensure leeks are thoroughly washed to remove any grit.
- ✓For a richer flavor, you can use dark Abbey beer instead of white wine when cooking the leeks.
- ✓If you don't have a tart pan with a removable bottom, a pie plate can be used.
- ✓The tart is best served warm.
✨ Twist Ideas
Inspiration for your own version of this recipe
- Add a pinch of thyme or rosemary to the leek mixture.
- Substitute Emmental or a Belgian Gouda for Gruyère cheese.
- For a vegetarian option, omit the bacon and increase the cheese slightly.