Fougasse

By John, 4 March, 2022
Region
France
Description

"Fougasse, or French Focaccia"A fougasse is a French focaccia, often cut into elaborate shapes for more crusty surface area. If you are in the area of Kittery, Maine, you can find excellent full and half-size fougasse at Beach Pea Bakery that you would be proud to bring to any family event.

You can make it yourself, if you have a few hours to allow time for the dough to rise; baking takes under 30 minutes. If you want to do the traditional sourdough version and you don't have a starter, you can make one but it takes a few days to get really active, or you could try the Biga Starter, which is ready in a day.

The cuts are important. They serve to provide more crusty surface for the bread. This bread is not a light, airy load, it's all about the olive oil and salt and other flavors that you include. It's great with wine and cheese.

Yield
4 Servings
Preparation time
3 hours, 20 minutes
Cooking time
20 minutes
Total time
3 hours, 40 minutes
Ingredients
1 1⁄2 c All Purpose Flour
1⁄3 c Semolina Flour
2⁄3 c Water (warm)
2 t Dry Yeast
2 T Butter (soft)
1 T Rosemary (fresh, chopped)
2 T Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 t kosher salt
Instructions
  1. Proof the yeast with a little of the four in a little of the warm water for about 10 minutes.
  2. Stir in the rest of the water, the flour and semolina, and the soft butter. Mix until it holds together and comes away from the bowl in one soft ball of dough.
  3. Let rise for 2 hours.
  4. Roll out into a circle, sprinkle the rosemary over it, and fold it over. Roll again into an oval and transfer to a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  5. Slash with a bread lame or a razor into a decorative pattern. Cut all the way through the dough and pull open the slashes so they don't close up again (see the photo above) as the dough rises.  Let rise another hour.
  6. Preheat oven to 450.
  7. Bake the fougasse for 20-25 minutes, until done. 
  8. Transfer to a wire rack, brush with the oil and sprinkle the salt on it, and let it cool.
Notes

This is often made with a sourdough starter.

This is a plain fougasse, but it is usually made with chopped black olive and bits of bacon, or with herbs kneaded into the dough, or other flavors to enhance whatever it is served with.