I had never had zwiebelkuchen before and I was surprised to find that the crust was a yeast dough, almost like pizza crust, when I was expecting more of a quiche/pie crust. I checked my German cookbook and it is made there with yeasted dough as well, so I am assuming this is the traditional way to make it.
The filling here is a combo of cream, eggs and bacon…so it has a quiche like texture. I added a bit of cheese as well….because cheese. 🙂 This was really tasty and definitely an indulgence. It would make great breakfast leftovers. Since this is a yeasted dough, it requires a passive 1.5 hours while the dough rises, prior to the 40 minute bake. I served this with a salad on the side with a light, acidic dressing to break up the richness of this pie.
German Bacon Onion Pie (Zwiebelkuchen)
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 2 tsp instant yeast
- 2/3 cup lukewarm milk
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup room temp butter
For the pie:
- 4 oz diced bacon I used a whole package
- 1 lb onions sliced thinly
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp caraway seed
- 1 cup shredded cheese optional – I used mozzarella
Instructions
- Combine the dough ingredients in a stand mixer with a dough hook. Mix on medium speed until the dough comes together, adding a small amount of water if necessary to create a soft smooth ball of dough. Knead until it passes the windowpane test, then spray the bowl with oil spray and cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise 1-2 hours until doubled.
- Meanwhile, cook the chopped bacon in a skillet over medium heat until it is crisp and remove with a slotted spoon. Remove all but 1 tbsp of the fat and add the butter to the pan. Add the onions and pinch of salt.
- Stir and cook them until they have softened and then add the flour and stir. Add in the bacon, remove from the heat and allow to cool down for a few minutes.
- In a bowl, whisk the egg, cream, salt and caraway and add in the onion/bacon mixture and stir. Preheat the oven to 400.
- Using a 9 inch pie plate or a 9×9 square pan, roll out the dough on a floured counter to slightly larger than the dish. Line dish with the dough and pour in the filling. Bake for 35-45 minutes, until the filling is set. My crust was getting too dark half way through, so I covered the crust in foil to prevent burning. Allow the pie to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.