Rosemary Fougasse Recipes

ROSEMARY FOUGASSE

Steps:

• Mix the dough according to the instructions given in the recipe.
• After the dough has taken its first rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours (or overnight) it can be shaped into a fougasse. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and pat it into a long narrow rectangle. Sprinkle a layer of chopped rosemary over the surface of the dough being careful to cover the edges too. Fold the dough in thirds like a business letter, the top third over the middle of the dough, then the bottom third over that, completely overlapping the two. Press the 3 open sides of the fougasse tightly shut. Cover the bread well with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 to 2 hours.
• Thirty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Place a baking stone in the oven to preheat and position an oven rack just below the stone.
• Sprinkle a peel or upsidedown baking sheet generously with cornmeal and place the fougasse on top, stretching it slightly to make it into a square. Cut a decorative pattern, such as a leaf or a ladder, into the dough with a dough cutter. Spread and stretch the loaf until the cuts form large openings.
• Be sure the fougasse is loosened from the peel, then carefully slide it onto the baking stone. Using a plant sprayer, quickly mist the bread with water 8 to 10 times, then quickly shut oven door. Mist again after 1 minute. Then mist again 1 minute later.
• Bake for about 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 450 degrees and bake 15 minutes longer or until the loaf sounds slightly hollow when tapped on the bottom and the crust is a medium to dark brown. (If the crust is not brown enough, the bread will soften as it cools.) Transfer the bread to a rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.

LEMON AND ROSEMARY FOUGASSE

Steps:

• Pour 3 cups warm water into large bowl of heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with dough hook. Sprinkle yeast over; stir to blend. Mix in 1 cup semolina flour. Let stand until small bubbles begin to rise to surface of mixture, about 40 minutes. Mix salt into yeast mixture, then beat in remaining 4 cups semolina flour, 1 cup at a time. Mix in 3 tablespoons oil, then 1 cup unbleached flour (dough will be slightly sticky).
• Turn dough out onto floured work surface; knead in lemon peel, rosemary, and 1/2 cup unbleached flour. Knead until dough is smooth, elastic, and satiny, adding more unbleached flour by tablespoonfuls if dough is too sticky, about 10 minutes. Form dough into ball; return to same bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
• Punch dough down. Turn dough out onto floured work surface and knead 5 minutes. Divide dough in half. Sprinkle 2 baking sheets lightly with semolina flour. Roll out each dough piece to 12x8-inch rectangle. Transfer 1 dough rectangle to each prepared baking sheet. Using sharp knife, cut several 3-inch-long slits in each dough rectangle, cutting through completely. Pull slits apart, creating large holes in dough. Cover dough with kitchen towels and let rise in warm draft-free area until dough is doubled in volume, about 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, position 1 rack in bottom third and 1 rack in top third of oven and preheat to 425°F. Bake breads until puffed and golden brown, reversing baking sheets halfway through baking, about 30 minutes total. Transfer breads to racks; brush remaining 2 tablespoons oil over top of breads. Cool at least 10 minutes. (Can be made ahead. Cool completely. Wrap breads separately in foil, then enclose in resealable plastic bags and store at room temperature 1 day or freeze up to 2 weeks. If desired, rewarm thawed breads wrapped in foil in 350°F oven for 10 minutes.)
• Serve breads whole or cut into thick crosswise strips.
• *A coarsely ground durum wheat flour that is available at some supermarkets, specialty foods stores, and Italian markets.

FOUGASSE WITH ROSEMARY AND SEEDS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast and sugar over warm water; let stand until creamy, about 5 minutes. In another bowl, whisk together both flours and kosher salt. Add flour mixture and oil to yeast mixture, stirring until a wet, ragged dough forms. Transfer to a floured work surface; knead with floured hands until dough is smooth, elastic, and tacky but no longer sticky, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl lightly brushed with oil; loosely cover with a towel. Let stand in a warm place until doubled in volume, 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or refrigerate up to 2 days.
• Preheat a wood-burning or regular oven to 500 degrees. (If using a regular oven, set rack in lowest position and line with a pizza stone or metal baking sheet.) Punch down dough; divide in half. Transfer each half to a sheet of parchment (at least 15 inches long) lightly dusted with flour. Roll out each to an approximately 13-by-7-inch oval. With a baker's blade or the tip of a knife, and starting 1 1/2 inches below top of each oval, make a 10-inch vertical slash in each dough until you reach 1 1/2 inches from bottom. Make 1 1/2-inch-long diagonal slashes, about 1 inch apart, on each side of vertical slashes. Make 1/2-inch-long diagonal slashes along edges, if desired. Pull edges of each dough outward slightly to open slashes. Loosely cover; let stand in a warm place until doubled in volume, 30 to 40 minutes. Whisk together egg yolks and milk. Brush doughs with egg wash; sprinkle evenly with rosemary, sesame and nigella seeds, and flaky salt.
• Transfer 1 dough on parchment to oven (on pizza stone, if using). Bake until puffed and golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with second dough. Fougasse is best served the same day, but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 day.