Fugazz Bread
Description
Homemade baked goods for tea. Fougasse is a traditional Provençal bread, a distant relative of the Italian focaccia. There are many variations of this bread; the French version typically includes olives, cheese, and anchovies as fillings. Fougasse can also be filled with dried fruits, nuts, bacon strips, etc. Traditionally, fougasse was used to gauge the temperature of a wood-fired oven—the time it took to bake provided information about the heat level, helping determine whether the rest of the bread could be loaded into the oven. Fougasse keeps for just one day; to restore its softness, reheat it in the oven at a low temperature. Serve with tea or coffee.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
1. In a large bowl, mix the yeast, sugar, 1 1⁄3 cups of warm water, and let stand for 10 minutes. Add flour, olive oil, and salt, then mix. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 6 minutes. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let rest until the dough doubles in size, about 1 1⁄2 hours. Preheat the oven to 260°C. Divide the dough into 5 equal parts.
- 2
Step 2
2. Roll each piece into a triangle measuring 12.5×20 cm and about 6 mm thick. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and lightly sprinkled with cornmeal.
- 3
Step 3
3. Using a sharp knife, make 3 parallel slashes in the center of the dough and one small slash slightly below and parallel to the middle slash. Gently stretch the cuts with your fingers to create small openings. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
- 4
Step 4
4. Finely chop the olives, parsley, thyme, and rosemary. Mix the olives, herbs, and spices in a bowl. Lightly brush each piece of dough with olive oil using a brush. Sprinkle with the prepared mixture, season with salt and pepper. Bake the bread one at a time until golden, about 15 minutes each.