Sourdough Fougasse Bread

With the last batch of the sourdough starter, thought to make something interesting and i came across beautiful Fougasse bread. This bread can be accompanied with soups or dips of your choice and it really taste heaven. Have a look below to the recipe and enjoy freshly baked Fougasse..

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup Maida / All purpose flour
1/3 cup Sourdough Starter
1 tbsp Olive oil (and extra for greasing, and brushing)
3/4 cup and little more warm water
Salt to taste

For toppings..
Few slices of onions
3 Sliced Cherry Tomatoes
1 tsp dried Oregano
1 tsp all mixed herbs
Salt to sprinkle a little

Method:

• In a large bowl, mix Maida or all purpose flour with salt and Olive Oil. 
• Now add sourdough starter and slowly slowly add warm water to the flour.
• Start gathering the flour around the bowl, to form a soft, smooth and a sticky dough.
• Keep kneading for 5-10 minutes or until smooth, soft and elastic. (can use extra flour if needed, if the dough is too much sticky to handle)
• Grease the dough with oil and place it in bowl, cover it with a plastic cling film and keep it at a warm place to rise.
• Allow it to rise for 2-3 hours or until it doubles in volume.
• Once it doubles in volume, punch back down and knead it again for few seconds.
• Lightly dust and sprinkle the baking sheet with a flour.
• Shape and spread the dough with your fingers in to irregular oval shape.
• Brush the shaped dough with olive oil and sprinkle oregano, mixed herbs and salt to taste.
• Sprinkle Sliced onions and place the sliced tomatoes on to it.
• Use sharp knife to make 3 slashes either side. 
• Open out the slashes slightly, and press onions and tomatoes a little.
• Cover it lightly with a cleaned tea towel and keep it aside.
• Allow to rise nearly about 1 to 1 1/2 hour.
• Once it rises pretty well, bake it for 15-20 minutes in preheated oven at 220 degree Celsius.
• Once baked, bring it out and allow it cool on wire rack for 10 minutes and serve it with your favorite dips or soup..

So here you enjoy your freshly baked Fougasse bread.!!!



Fougasse With Commercial Yeast.:

If you Do not have Sourdough starter, you can also make fougasse using commercial yeast. And the recipe of it is below.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup Maida / All purpose flour
1/2 tsp Instant dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
3/4 cup warm water
1 tbsp Olive oil
Pinch of Salt

For toppings..(As return above)

Method:

• Dissolve Yeast and sugar in warm water. Allow it stand for 10 minutes, until mixture turns frothy.
• In a large bowl, mix maida or all purpose flour with salt and olive oil.
• Now add the frothy yeast mixture in to the flour. And gather all to form a smooth, sticky and soft dough.
• Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes until soft and elastic but should not be sticky. (can use extra flour for dusting and kneading)
• Grease the dough ball with oil and place it in a bowl. Cover the bowl with a plastic cling film and allow the dough to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hour or until it doubles in volume.
• Once it doubles in volume, punch back down and knead it again for few seconds.
• Lightly dust and sprinkle the baking sheet with a flour.
• Shape and spread the dough with your fingers in to irregular oval shape.
• Brush the shaped dough with olive oil and sprinkle oregano, mixed herbs and salt to taste.
• Sprinkle Sliced onions and place the sliced tomatoes on to it.
• Use sharp knife to make 3 slashes either side. 
• Open out the slashes slightly, and press onions and tomatoes a little.
• Cover it lightly with a cleaned tea towel and keep it aside.
• Allow to rise nearly about 25-30 minutes
• Once it rises pretty well, bake it for 15-20 minutes in preheated oven at 220 degree Celsius.
• Once baked, bring it out and allow it cool on wire rack for 10 minutes and serve it with your favorite dips or soup..

And here your Freshly baked Yeasted Fougasse bread is ready!!!