Recipe: Forest Fougasse

Come into my kitchen, friends of the forest.  Today I'm baking an Italian flatbread known as Fougasse infused with herbs, and dyed green with a concoction of boiled spinach.  These flatbreads are perfect for topping with hummus, cheese, salads, falafels, and anything you want! 

 

 

 I want these foresty flatbreads to be like elven Lembas Bread from the Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R Tolkien.  To pack along in a leaf pouch for hikes, sustaining a journey and connecting me to my roots.  One piece is enough to fill up a man for three days. Fitting, as my boyfriend eats this bread until he is stuffed!  Ah, hobbit life...

 

 

You can use any type of herb to customize for different health and magical effects.  I like to use basil, parsley, tarragon, or thyme.  Use whatever herbs resonate with you for the required outcome.  I can see myself baking this once a week to have on hand for soup, sandwiches, taking to work, ect.  Here is the recipe for Forest Fougasse, soon to be a staple in my cooking routine....

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup warm water
1 tsp dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup dried herbs of choice

Mix yeast and warm water together in a bowl and rapidly whip clockwise to proof the yeast.  Let sit 5-15 minutes.  If yeast is foamy, it worked. If not, obtain yeast that is alive.

Add in flour, salt, oil and herbs in bowl and mix with a wooden spoon clockwise until dough starts to come together.  Knead with hands in bowl.  If necessary, add a little water at a time until all dough is stretchy and easy to handle.  Add more flour if dough becomes too watery. 

Cover with a damp cloth in a warm area for about an hour.  Dough should double in size.

Preheat oven to 500 F.

Knead dough again and divide into 6 even pieces.  Roll each portion into a ball and mold into leaf shape in floured surface.  Use knife to draw a line down the center of the dough and slash open leaf veins going up the sides.

Mix up a small bowl of melted butter and use pastry brush to cover each flatbread.  Place fresh herbal leaves such as parsley, basil, rosemary on top of slices. Bake on greased cookie sheets for 8-10 minutes