If there’s any cuisine combination I love, it’s the collision of French and German food.
Many years ago, I traveled to Alsace, an area of eastern France that is right on the German border. Over the past 150 years, the region has shifted between French and German control.
The area has a unique identity, with its own language and hearty cuisine.
It’s full of delights, including delectable meats and cheese. But my personal favorite was this mashup of French and German delights, piled up on a tasty pizza.
I remember when I first tasted this pizza. I was walking through one of the cute French/German towns with my family and we stepped into a bar that boasted fantastic German beer.
White pizza was on the menu, and since I already had my fill of German meats and sauerkraut the night before, I opted for trying the unique-looking pizza with potatoes on top.
When I took that first bite, with a sip of German pilsner, it was heavenly. The light and creamy cheese was topped with caramelized onions, salty and crispy bacon, and thin slices of golden potatoes.
It was such a unique flavor combination that I’d never experienced before.
Normally, I am not one for white pizza because it can be a little… boring. The ones I’ve had before are usually flavored with nothing but olive oil and a layer of white cheese. Kinda blah, am I right?
Well, this dinner was anything but boring. It was full of hearty flavors, with just the right amount of cheese and some salty, crispy meat.
I mean, really, how could you go wrong? Hearty, salty, savory, and with a little bit of sweet bite from the onion. Delicious!
And don’t think putting carbs on top of more carbs is crazy or overwhelming. It’s perfectly balanced when the potatoes are sliced thin, just like we do on our steak and potato pizza recipe.
This specific version of the traditional recipe, also known as Flammenkeuche in German or tarte flambée in French, is a spin on the traditional recipe that’s topped with spreadable cheese, onions, and bacon. With my method, it’s baked on a piping hot pizza stone or baking sheet.
Traditionally this recipe is made with fromage blanc, but that can be difficult to find (and pretty expensive), so I like to use a combination of crème fraîche and ricotta instead. It’s easy and cheesy, with a fantastic flavor.
This is just the kind of recipe that you will want to bust out for your Oktoberfest food spread. It’s my favorite recipe to pair with German pilsner or other types of lighter, hoppy beers.
This dish is usually eaten as a first course, cut into small squares, and shared with a large group as part of a big meal. But I love to feature it as a simple dinner, with plenty of tasty beers on the side.
You can use premade dough like I did, if you wish, so you don’t have to wait for the dough to rise. It’s a simple meal to assemble even on a weeknight.
When you have the time, give homemade pizza dough a try!
If you are serving this at a party, be sure to have mugs of beer ready (and if you have some non-beer lovers, some dry and crisp white wines like Riesling). You can cut it up into traditional slices like I prefer, or you can even cut it into more of a flatbread style (aka squares/rectangles).
Bon appetit! Prost!
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White Potato Pizza with Bacon and Onion
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
When it comes to white pizza, this recipe is the most delicious of all. It’s a gloriously cheesy combination of bacon, potato, and onion.
Ingredients
- 5 strips thick cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips
- 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup ricotta
- 1/2 cup crème fraîche
- 1 teaspoon fresh minced thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 8 ounces pizza dough
- 1 large red-skinned potato, scrubbed and thinly sliced on a mandoline (about 3 ounces)
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Instructions
- Place rack in the middle of the oven and add pizza stone or baking sheet. Preheat oven to 450˚F.
- Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add bacon, and cook until crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.
- Add onion to skillet and cook until softened and beginning to caramelize, about 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- In a small bowl, whisk together ricotta, crème fraîche, thyme, kosher salt, and black pepper until combined.
- Place dough on a floured work surface and shape into a 12-inch round. Remove baking sheet or pizza pan from oven. Place dough carefully on the hot pan.
- Dollop ricotta mixture evenly on top of the dough, then spread it using the back of a spoon to cover the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border.
- Top with onions. Scatter the bacon on top in an even layer. Layer the potato slices on top, slightly overlapping them.
- Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt.
- Bake until potatoes are cooked through and dough is golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Pizza
- Method: Stovetop/Baking
- Cuisine: Flatbread
Keywords: white pizza, French, German, Alsatian, bacon, cheese, onion
Cooking by the Numbers…
Step 1 – Prep and Measure Ingredients
Slice five strips of thick cut bacon into 1/4-inch strips, then cut crosswise into lardons.
Peel and thinly slice a medium-sized yellow onion.
Mince one teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves.
Scrub a large red-skinned potato. Thinly slice it on a mandoline.
Measure out the remaining ingredients as listed on the ingredients list.
Preheat your oven to 450˚F. Position a rack in the middle of the oven, and add a pizza stone or baking sheet to the oven to heat up while it preheats.
On a floured work surface, roll out the pizza dough to form a 12-inch round. Work carefully, so you don’t tear it.
Step 2 – Cook Bacon and Onions
Place a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the bacon and cook until it is crispy, flipping and stirring occasionally. Remove it with a slotted spoon and transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
You can also choose to use our method for cooking bacon in the oven!
Keep the leftover bacon fat in the skillet and add the onions. Cook until the onions soften and begin to caramelize, about seven to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 3 – Make Ricotta Mixture
Add the ricotta, crème fraîche, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper to a small bowl. Whisk to combine.
Step 4 – Assemble Pizza
Dollop the ricotta mixture evenly on top of the dough. Use the back of a spoon to cover the dough with an even layer, making sure to leave a 1/2-inch border around the edge.
Distribute the onions evenly over the cheese layer. Scatter the bacon on top in an even layer, then layer the potato slices on top, slightly overlapping them.
Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
Step 5 – Bake
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the pizza dough and the potatoes are cooked through and golden. Remove from the oven. Slice and serve immediately.
What Kind of Beers Go Well with This Pizza?
Obviously, you should be making this white pizza for Oktoberfest. If you are, you want to make sure you have the right beers available for pairing.
For me, I love a crisp pilsner served alongside this particular dish. However, if pilsner isn’t your jam, you could also go for a light and slightly fruity kolsch. Another option is a rustic and earthy saison, if you want to go for a bolder beer choice.
Do you need some more Oktoberfest recipe inspiration? Try these recipes from Foodal to complete your menu:
What’s your favorite beer to pair with pizza? Tell us in the comments below, and be sure to rate the recipe as well.
Photos by Meghan Yager, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details.
Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
About Meghan Yager
Meghan Yager is a food addict turned food and travel writer with a love for creating uncomplicated, gourmet recipes and devouring anything the world serves up. As the author of the food and travel blog Cake 'n Knife, Meghan focuses on unique foodie experiences from around the world to right at home in your own kitchen.
I was a little unsure about this recipe at first, but oh wow, do the flavors and textures really work together!
★★★★★