Rosemary Garlic Fougasse

A crusty finish gives way to a tender, flavorful crust in this Rosemary Garlic Fougasse. It features a simple white dough base with added, customizable flavors.

I am a self-described Francophile, especially when it comes to breads and pastries. If it exists, the French probably do it better. And they’ll make it look while they’re at it too. There’s just something so simple and elegant about how French recipes look and taste, even if it’s a technically complicated recipe. Which this one isn’t, I assure you.

Take fougasse, for example. It’s roughly the equivalent of Italian focaccia–they words are actually from the same root! But it’s somehow a bit, well, more than focaccia is. Maybe it’s the beautiful leaf pattern cut into the dough. Maybe it’s the crustier finish the cuts give while still keeping the soft, pillowy inside. I feel like that contrast is the best part of artisan bread–the crunch and snap that yields to soft, tender crumb.

I should probably state that I really do LOVE focaccia–it’s simple and soft, and really beautiful. In fact, I have a recipe that you can find by clicking here. It’s legit, as my four year old would say. But this Rosemary Garlic Fougasse? It’s just…next level. And the cutting is really the only added step, which took me like 2 minutes per flatbread, tops. I will say that there is a learning curve to it. My first try stuck to the counter (I know, rookie mistake) and by the time I peeled it off, it looked a little bit um, rustic. But that’s why we make two! One can be the practice round.

I promise you though, no matter what they look like, they’ll do this magic disappearing act as soon as you put them up for grabs.

Rosemary Garlic Fougasse Baker’s Notes:

• Rise times will vary based on the temperature of the room it’s rising in, so all times are just an average/estimate. Base the dough’s readiness on the size–it should be doubled in bulk.
• The dough is much easier to handle and shape if you do it on floured parchment, rather than doing it on a surface and the moving it to a pan.
• You can adjust the rosemary and garlic to taste, and can also sprinkle large flake sea salt on the top if you wish.
• If you don’t have a bowl scraper, make the cuts in the top with a pizza cutter .

Helpful Resources

• Richard Bertinet has a video about shaping fougasse–click here to see it. And while it’s obvious that he’s had a LOT of practice, it gives you the general idea of how it works. His kneading technique is also pretty legit. See Prentice reference above.
• You can absolutely make the cuts with a pizza cutter or knife. However, if you are interested in making bread, these plastic bowl scrapers are worth investing in. They’re cheap and super useful. The link is not an affiliate, just FYI. 🙂

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