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Zwiebelkuchen

Pair with Chardonnay.

Zwiebelkuchen is a savory onion and bacon bread traditionally served in the southwestern areas of Germany. This rich bread, like a delicious combination of quiche and pizza, is also traditionally served with the newly made white wine (Federweisser) each season. This is Gertrud Schug’s own recipe Guten Appetit!

Bread:

  • 1 ½ cup milk
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 tbsp. yeast
  • 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 4 tbsp. butter, softened

Topping:

  • ½ lb. thick-sliced smoked bacon
  • 2 lbs. onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 tsp. caraway seeds
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. pepper

Prepare dough: Warm milk slightly. Pour milk into a large mixing bowl and add the yeast and the salt. Stir to dissolve the yeast and then add about 2 cups of the flour, stirring to make a soft dough. Cover bowl with a damp towel and let dough rise in a warm place for 45 minutes. Cut bacon into small dice while dough rises; set bacon aside. Next, cut the butter into small cubes and add to dough with enough remaining flour to make a nice dough that is not too stiff or dry. Knead dough till smooth and let rise one hour.

Prepare topping: While dough rises for the second time, heat a large sauté pan over low heat and cook bacon until fat is clear. Add sliced onions and cook until soft, translucent and bacon is slightly golden. Add caraway seeds and allow bacon mixture to cool. Next, mix the eggs and the sour cream together in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add the salt and the pepper. Stir the onions and bacon into the egg mixture till evenly blended.

Put the zwiebelkuchen together: Roll out the dough to form a 13” x 18” rectangle and place it in a ¼-sheet pan (or jelly roll pan). Pat the dough in such a way that it comes up the sides of the sheet pan a little. Next, evenly distribute the egg/onion/bacon mixture over the top of the dough. Bake the zwiebelkuchen in a preheated 350°F oven approximately 35 minutes, or until golden brown on the top and edges and bread is done. Cut zwiebelkuchen into 2-inch squares and serve warm. Makes approximately 24 squares.