Three Cheese Fougasse
1. Place the flour, salt, yeast, olive oil and water in a food processor. Blend to form a dough and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a large bowl and set aside to rest in a warm place for 1 hour.
2. Shape the dough into three rough oval shapes and make 3 slits across the bread on each side with a knife and 1 large one right down the middle, cutting right through the dough ~ you will have 7 slits in total, 3 on each side of the loaf and 1 in the middle. Stretch it with your hands and a rolling pin to about 30cm long.
3. Put the loaves on to greased baking trays, cover with cling film or a clean tea towel and leave in a warm place to prove until doubled in volume. Allow up to an hour for this.
4. Pre-heat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/gas mark 5. Bake the fougasse loaves for 25 to 30 minutes. If you’re adding the cheese or another topping, take the bread out of the oven
just before it’s done, sprinkle the cheese or other flavourings evenly over the bread, and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Eat warm or cold.
Alternative toppings to try: caramelised onions, other types of cheese, olives, rosemary, minced garlic, grilled bacon or lardons. Press them into the almost cooked loaf and proceed as before, baking them for a further 5 minutes.
INGREDIENTS for 3 loaves
400g strong white bread flour
1tsp salt
1 x 7g sachet fast action dried yeast
100ml olive oil
200ml warm water
Topping:
25g Gruyère, 25g Comte, 25g Cantal, all grated – (75g cheese in total)
Karen Burns-Booth bakes...