Rosemary Fougasse

The Ingredients

This is what you need to make 2 loaves:

• Water: Make sure the water is warm, but not steaming hot. If the water is too hot it will kill the yeast. Think of the water as lukewarm like what you would use to wash your hands.
• Yeast: Since the yeast dissolves in warm water, the recipe calls for active dry yeast.
• Sugar: The small amount of sugar in the recipe doesn’t sweeten the bread. Its purpose is to feed the yeast and encourage the dough to rise.
• Olive oil: The bread has olive oil in the dough, and it’s brushed with oil before it is baked in the oven.
• Bread flour: The majority of the flour in the recipe is bread flour.
• Whole wheat flour: Not only does whole wheat flour add whole grains, it also gives the bread more flavor
• Kosher salt: Even dough needs to be seasoned with salt. I mix it in with the flours and rosemary.
• Rosemary: It’s best to use fresh rosemary rather than dried.
• Sea Salt: After the loaves are brushed with olive oil, they are topped with flaky sea salt for crunch and taste.

Flavor Variations

Fresh rosemary is my go-to, but there are other ways to flavor your bread:

• Parmesan: Sprinkle on finely grated Parmesan in the last few minutes of baking.
• Olives: Knead 1/3-1/2 cup roughly chopped pitted Kalamata or green olives into the dough.
• Roasted tomatoes: Knead 1/3-1/2 cup roughly chopped marinated roasted tomatoes into the dough. These are the jarred tomatoes for antipasti. Make sure to pat off the oil with a towel too.
• Everything seasoning: Is it traditional? No! Is it delicious? Yes! Everything on everything. Period.

How To Make The Dough

1. Combine the warm water, yeast, sugar and olive oil in a small bowl. Give it about 5 minutes and the yeast will turn foamy.
2. Stir together the bread flour, whole wheat flour, salt and chopped rosemary in a large bowl.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir into a shaggy dough.
4. Knead the dough on a lightly floured work surface for 10 minutes. The dough will become smooth and elastic.
5. Shape the dough into a ball. Transfer it to an oiled oil and cover.
6. Let the dough rise until it has doubled in size, about 2 hours.

How To Shape and Bake The Dough

1. One the dough has finished rising, divide it in half.
2. Roll the dough into 2 ovals, each about 12 inches long and 8 inches at the widest point.
3. Place each oval on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan.
4. Use a pizza roller or sharp knife to cut 2 slashes down the center of the ovals without splitting them in half. Pull open the slits.
5. Cut shorter diagonal slashes on both sides of the center cuts. Again pull open those slits.
6. Make small slashes around the outside of the ovals between the diagonal slashes.
7. Cover the dough and let it rise and puff up for 30 minutes.
8. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
9. Brush the dough with olive oil and season with flaky sea salt.
10. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
11. Sprinkle with the remaining chopped rosemary in the last few minutes of baking.

Serving The Bread

The shape really lends itself to sharing because it is so easy to rip off in a small hunk and dip right into olive oil.

You can serve the bread as an appetizer or wait and present with the main course—more spectacular than a regular breadbasket.