Alsacian Zwiebenkuchen (Onion Pie)

On By Justin BunchIn Alsace, Food, Germany, Main Course, Recipe

Zwiebelkuchen is a traditional German onion cake made with a savory pastry crust and a filling of caramelized onions, eggs, and cream. It is typically served as a main course or as a snack with a glass of federweißer. It is a typical dish for Southern Germany, Switzerland, and Alsace.

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Alsacian Zwiebenkuchen (Onion Pie)

Zwiebelkuchen is a traditional German onion cake made with a savory pastry crust and a filling of caramelized onions, eggs, and cream. It is typically served as a main course or as a snack with a glass of federweißer. It is a typical dish for Southern Germany, Switzerland, and Alsace.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Main, Side Dish
Cuisine: Alsatian, French, German
Keyword: Baked, Onion, Pie, Savory
Servings: 8 Slices

Equipment

  • 1 24cm Pie Form

Ingredients

Pie Crust (Optional if not using premade crust)

  • 500 g All-purpose flour
  • 5 g Salt
  • 250 g Butter
  • 2 Egg Yolk

Pie Filling

  • 6 Medium-Large Onions
  • 50 g Butter for frying
  • 100 ml White Wine
  • 150 ml Milk
  • 5 Eggs
  • 100 g Smoked Bacon It is traditionally cured rather than raw, but won't make much difference here.
  • 80 g Gruyere or other Swiss Mountain Cheese
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Instructions

Pie Crust

  • Mix the ingredients for the pie crust together in a bowl until it has become somewhat elastic. Add water if the mixture is too crumbly or not staying together.
  • Let sit in the refrigerator for half an hour.

The Zwiebelkuchen

  • Slice the onions into thin rings (or for those without an immersion blender, simply dice the onions and skip the step with the blender) and saute in the butter over medium-high heat until transparent, about 5-8 minutes. Make sure that the onions do not start to color. If some start to stick, then proceed to the next step.
  • Now add half of the wine and wait for it to cook down, about 5 minutes, then add the remaining wine and do the same.
  • With the wine mostly evaporated, reduce the heat to low and add the cream, milk, and eggs. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Using an immersion blender, puree the onions into a creamy sauce.
  • If using a homemade crust, roll it flat into a thin sheet, and in any case, insert the pie dough into a 24cm pie form. Now fill the form with the onion filling. Add the bacon and cheese on top (or if using cured or precooked bacon, you can mix it into the mixture).
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes until the top turns golden brown.

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