Easy Fougasse Recipe

Directions

This easy Fougasse dough can be made either by hand or in a mixer using a dough hook. Before starting the bread, place the thinly sliced onion into a small bowl of cold water with one of the teaspoons of salt. Soak the onions while you make the bread this is to stop the onions burning.

1. Put the flour into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the yeast and simply stir into the flour followed by the water and the salt. Mix well on a slow speed and then using a dough hook, mix to create a soft, smooth dough (you can, of course, do this process by hand).
2. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and leave in a warm, draught-free place until doubled in size approx 1 hour.
3. Preheat the oven to 240 C/475 F/Gas 9
4. Tip the dough onto a floured work surface and ever so gently flatten the dough.
5. Sprinkle a little flour over the dough, then it cut into two, then into two again – even try three if you want smaller bread.
6. With a sharp knife cut a slit through the dough diagonally across each piece making sure you don’t cut it in two. From the slit, slash three or so more diagonally. Then, carefully open out the slits as far as you dare.
7. Lift each piece of dough onto a lightly floured baking tray.  Strain the onions through a colander then dry with kitchen paper.
8. Sprinkle the onions over the bread then pop into the preheated oven and bake for 10 – 12 mins until golden brown.
9. To keep the Provencal theme going, try dipping your Fougasse bread into a rich, tomato sauce.