Fugazza Recipes

FUGASSA BREAD

Steps:

• Cook oil, onions and peppers slowly in a large skillet over medium-low heat until the onions are transparent. When you cook onions and peppers slowly, the natural sugars caramelize, and they become quite sweet. Set aside to cool to lukewarm.
• In a large bowl, stir yeast into warm water to soften. Add salt, sugar, 2 cups flour, 1 cup cheese, and the cooled peppers. Beat vigorously for 2 minutes.
• Gradually add flour, a little at a time, until you have a dough stiff enough to knead. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead, adding flour as necessary, until you have a smooth, elastic dough. Put the dough into an oiled bowl. Turn once to coat the entire ball of dough with oil. Cover with towel and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Turn the dough out onto work surface. Knead in the remaining 1 cup cheese, leaving large streaks of the cheese visible. The streaks will toast and add an attractive look to the bread, not to mention a marvelous flavor.
• Shape the dough into a ball. Flatten the top slightly, and place on a well-greased baking sheet. Cover with a towel and let rise for 45 minutes.
• Just before baking, brush the tops of the loaves with cold water and sprinkle with coarse sea salt, if desired. Slit the loaf in three places, about 1/2-inch deep, across the top.
• For added crispness, steam should be added to the oven for the first 10 minutes of baking. I put 2 cups of ice cubes directly on the floor of my oven. By the time they have melted and evaporated the 10 minutes is usually up. Since some people have trouble working with this theory, you can also put a pan of boiling water on the bottom shelf of the oven and remove it after the first 10 minutes of baking. Just be sure to work quickly to prevent loss of oven heat.
• Bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 30 minutes, or until done. Immediately remove bread from baking sheet and cool on a rack. Makes 1 large loaf.

FUGAZZA

Steps:

• Sprinkle yeast with sugar over milk and water in a small bowl and proof until foamy, about 10-15 minutes.
• Combine flour and salt in a large bowl, make a well in the center and add yeast mixture.
• Blend flour into yeast mixture and knead about 15 minutes, until dough is smooth and elastic.
• Oil large bowl.
• Add dough, turning to coat.
• Cover and let rise in warm, draft-free area until double in size.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Oil 15 inch pizza pan.
• Roll dough out on lightly-floured surface to 13-14 inch round, ½ inch thick.
• Fit dough into pan.
• Spread with onion, leaving ½ inch border at edges.
• Cover onion with cheese and sprinkle with oregano, crumbling oregano between fingers.
• Bake until golden-brown, about 15-20 minutes.