French fougasse is type of a flattish bread like the Italian focaccia or the Spanish hogaza or the Balkan pogaca.
This simple bread type, was being baked 3000 years ago in ancient Rome with the name of panis focacius. In the old days the baking duration of this bread helped the bakers in measuring the temperature of the wood oven.
This "easy to make at home" bread can turn out to be a pre meal pleasure when served warm with cheese and olive oil.
ingredients
- 20 g baker's yeast
- 350 ml 95°F (35°C) water (can substitute half of water with yogurt juice or whey)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp grape molasses
- 500 g bread flour (can substitute 150 g whole wheat flour for bread flour)
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp fresh herbs, shred (basil, thyme, rosemary, etc.)
- semolina or bran, to spread on the tray
- dried basil or thyme, to sprinkle on top
preparation
- Crumble yeast into water, stir til yeast dissolves. After 10-15 minutes, the mixture should be foamy to show yeast is alive and active.
- Blend in olive oil and molasses.
- Sift the flour into the mixer bowl. Blend at low speed with dough hook while pouring in the yeast water.
- Sprinkle salt, knead for another 6–8 minutes on medium speed.
- Add the herbs and mix til they are evenly distributed. The dough will be very elastic.
- Put into an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Let it rest in an OFF oven for 1 hour, til doubled in size. When the dough is risen to its full potential, the indentation that you make on it will disappear veeery slowly.
- Tip out onto a floured work surface, gently knock off the air. Divide the dough in half.
- Spread and stretch out into flat ovals. Lift onto the parchment paper lined and semolina spread baking tray.
- Make two cuts down the middle vertically, stopping 2cm from each end and in between. Then make 4 diagonal cuts on either side.
- Stretch the dough out to emphasize the holes. Will look like a leaf.
- Do the same with the second half of dough.
- Heat the oven to 440°F (225°C) while the bread is proving after shaping for 20-30 min.
- Brush on olive oil and sprinkle dried herbs. Put both trays in the oven, lower the temp to 390°F (200°C). Bake for 18-20 min. Should sound hollow when tapped at the bottom.
- Cool on a wire rack.
- 1 çbk = 1 çorba kaşığı = 1 table spoon = 15 ml
- 1 tsp = 1 tatlı kaşığı = 1 tea spoon = 5 ml
- 1 cup ~ 1 su bardağı = 1 cup = 240 ml
- measurements
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