Tarte flambée is a thin, crispy, rectangular baked dough that is topped with tart and spreadable cheese (fromage blanc) or melting ripe cheese (Munster), créme fraîche, crispy bacon, and thinly sliced roasted onions.

A pinch of salt, ground pepper, peanut oil and nutmeg add extra layers of flavor to this beloved snack. Also known as flammeküche in Germany, the flaming tart takes its name from the fact that it is baked at a close proximity to hot embers in a brick oven. 

Pane e olio is an Italian phrase meaning bread and oil, referring to a simple yet classic Italian dish that highlights the quality of its basic ingredients: bread and olive oil. Traditional Italian bread such as ciabatta, focaccia, or a rustic country loaf is typically used, while extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is the oil of choice due to its superior flavor and health benefits.

High-quality, cold-pressed olive oil from regions like Tuscany or Puglia is ideal. The bread is usually sliced and may be served fresh or lightly toasted, with toasting enhancing its texture and providing a warm base for the olive oil. The olive oil is typically poured into a small dish or bowl for dipping, though some variations may include a drizzle of olive oil directly on the bread slices. 

Crêpes salées, often called savory crêpes or galettes in some regions of France, especially in Brittany, are thin pancakes made from a batter that typically contains either wheat flour or buckwheat flour, which gives them a slightly nutty flavor and a darker color.

Unlike the sweet version (crêpes sucrées) which uses various "sweet fillings", crêpes salées are filled with savory ingredients that may include cheese (often Gruyère, Comté, or Emmental), ham or various types of cured meat, eggs, mushrooms, spinach, caramelized onion, or various herbs and spices. 

Amazingly tender and extremely light, chouquettes are airy pâte à choux pastry puffs studded with the so-called sucre perlé (lit. pearl sugar); coarse sugar crystals which hold both their shape and crunch when baked.

Chouquettes are basically profiterole shells and fall into the category of viennoiseries or, more precisely, pâtisseries viennoises. These Viennese-style baked goods are found in bakery shops throughout the country and are traditionally consumed for breakfast or as an afternoon snack known as le goûter. 

Gougères are tiny, hollow pastry puffs made from choux dough and cheese, most commonly grated Comté, Emmentaler, or Gruyère. These cheese puffs are often served cold or at room temperature as an accompaniment to beverages such as champagne or wine, but they can also be served warm as an appetizer.

The snacks were invented in the 17th century, in a store called Le ramequin de Bourgogne, located in the Burgundy area. Gougères can also be served in a sweet version, accompanied by various fruit jams on the side.

Originating from the French city of Nice, pissaladière is a baked tart that is similar to a pizza, but thicker. In the past, it was usually baked and sold each morning, but today it is traditionally served as an appetizer or a snack, consisting of a doughy base that is topped with anchovies, olives, caramelized onions, and fresh herbs.

The name of the dish comes from the French phrase pèi salat, which translates to salted fish, one of the key ingredients used in the preparation of pissaladière. It is believed that the dish was invented between 1305 and 1377, during the Avignon Papacy. 

Invented in the early 1800s in Antonin Carême’s pastry store in Paris, these round, light, airy puff pastries are baked such that the center part can be removed, creating a cavity that is then filled with either sweet or savory fillings.

Carême’s signature vol-au-vent was known as the financière, the filling of which consisted of minced chicken, breadcrumbs, and mushrooms in a Madeira sauce. Today, vol-au-vent is typically served as a snack or an appetizer with either a chicken or fish filling. 

Bouchées à la reine are small, savory vol-au-vent pastries filled with a combination of white sauce and a mixture of diced chicken, truffles, white wine, and mushrooms. There is also a number of variations for the filling such as veal, olives, and ham.

The pastries, which are usually served as an appetizer, were originally invented for Marie Leczinska, the wife of Louis XV and the Queen of France. Not unusual, since the name of the dish literally translates to the Queen's mouthfuls. Although this classic is mainly served as an appetizer, it can also be served as a main course, and it is recommended to pair it with a fresh green salad on the side.

Chaussons aux pommes are traditional French turnovers filled with a delectable apple compote filling. The turnovers are made with a combination of peeled and cored apples, flour, sugar, cinnamon, puff pastry, and beaten eggs. The apples are chopped, combined with flour, sugar, cinnamon, and water, then mixed.

The filling is placed in the center of the puff pastry circle, which is then folded into a semicircle and brushed with egg wash so that it sticks. The top is also brushed with eggwash, and the pastry is baked until it puffs up and becomes golden brown.