Fougasse Recipe

I love bread. Especially fresh out of the oven bread.
This is my favorite homemade bread recipe.
It always turns out light and fluffy.
I haven't found anyone yet who doesn't like it.


It is called Fougasse (pronounced: foo- gaas).
It is a soft french bread that goes well with many dinners of soups,
pastas, salads, and much more. I like to use it for dipping in spinach
artichoke dip too! 
Anyways, enough talking, here is how its done!

Fougasse Recipe


Ingredients:
3 3/4 cups White Flour (plus some for kneading on)
2 tsp. Instant Yeast Granules
2 tsp. Sea Salt
1 1/2 cups Warm Water


Cornmeal
Olive Oil
Basil Pesto (optional)
Sea Salt
Fresh Grated Parmesan-Reggiano (optional)


Directions:
Put 3 3/4 cups flour into your mixer bowl. Add 2 tsp. yeast and
rub/mix it together using your hands.  Add 2 tsp of salt and 1 1/2 
cups warm water and mix on low 2 minutes- using the bread hook.
Then mix on high for 6 minutes.
Turn dough out of bowl and knead gently.
Replace in bowl, cover, and let dough rise 1 hour.


Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
Grease cookie sheet and dust with cornmeal.
Release dough from bowl to cookie sheet, and cover with cornmeal.
Let dough rest 5 minutes.
Shape into Fougasse triangle shape (shown below), 
                                               and cut 3 slits using sharp knife.
Brush loaf with olive oil.
Smear loaf with pesto.
Sprinkle salt and Parmesan-Reggiano over top.


Place bread on cookie sheet into preheated oven.
Mist the oven and bread with water in a spray bottle.
Reduce oven temp to 450 degrees.
Bake 10-12 minutes.
Remove and let cool.
Serve soon after or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.


This bread also freezes well! Simply bake it for only 6-7 minutes,
cool it, wrap it in an airtight container or bag, and freeze.
When you are ready to enjoy it, remove from freezer and bake 
for 12 minutes at 450 degrees. 


Enjoy! :)