This Fougasse aux Grattons is a hearty, savory flatbread that transforms simple ingredients into a luxurious treat. The dough, enriched with buckwheat for nuttiness and kneaded to a perfect elasticity, serves as the vessel for “grattons”crispy, rendered pork belly and fat cracklings. These cracklings provide a salty, umami-rich crunch that contrasts beautifully with the soft, airy crumb of the bread. The result is a rich, satisfying loaf that feels more like a savory shortbread than traditional bread. Perfect for a rustic dinner party or a cozy weekend brunch, it pairs exceptionally well with bitter greens like endive or dandelion to cut through the richness. This recipe requires patience for the cracklings but rewards you with an unforgettable, golden-crisp artisanal bread.
Fougasse Aux Grattons (Flat Bread With Crackling)
Description
This Fougasse aux Grattons is a hearty, savory flatbread that transforms simple ingredients into a luxurious treat. The dough, enriched with buckwheat for nuttiness and kneaded to a perfect elasticity, serves as the vessel for "grattons"crispy, rendered pork belly and fat cracklings. These cracklings provide a salty, umami-rich crunch that contrasts beautifully with the soft, airy crumb of the bread. The result is a rich, satisfying loaf that feels more like a savory shortbread than traditional bread. Perfect for a rustic dinner party or a cozy weekend brunch, it pairs exceptionally well with bitter greens like endive or dandelion to cut through the richness. This recipe requires patience for the cracklings but rewards you with an unforgettable, golden-crisp artisanal bread.Ingredients
Directions
-
Sift together unbleached white bread flour and two generous handfuls of buckwheat flour to create the flour mixture.
-
In a small bowl, stir the active dry yeast with a handful of the flour mixture and enough tepid water to form a runny batter.
-
Let the yeast batter sit for 1 hour until frothy and active.
-
While the yeast activates, cook the grattons: Place diced pork belly and pork fat in a heavy covered saucepan with dry white wine over very gentle heat.
-
Press down on the meat occasionally during the 1.5 to 2-hour cooking time to render out as much fat as possible.
-
Strain the liquid fat from the meat; reserve the fat for other cooking if desired.
-
Increase the heat slightly and crisp the diced meat in the rendered fat, straining off excess liquid fat as needed, until the cracklings are golden and crisp.
-
Warm the remaining flour mixture in the oven, mix in salt, and make a well in the center.
-
Pour the yeast mixture into the well and add enough tepid water to form a moist, pliable dough.
-
Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 10-12 minutes until smooth and elastic.
-
Place the dough in a large floured bowl, cover with a dampened cloth, and let rise until doubled in size.
-
Preheat the oven to 450F (250C).
-
Punch down the risen dough and turn it out onto a floured work surface.
-
Knead the crisp grattons into the dough until evenly distributed.
-
Cut through the dough with a knife in one direction, then another, to incorporate air and texture.
-
Reform the dough into a ball, divide it in two, and shape each half into a flat loaf.
-
Slash straight through the thickness of the loaves in numerous places, spreading the holes wider with your fingers to create a Swiss cheese-like pattern.
-
Brush the tops of the loaves with beaten egg yolk.
-
Bake on a hot metal sheet for 30-35 minutes until the bread is crisp, golden brown, and cooked through.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 8
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 587.4kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 8.7g14%
- Saturated Fat 2.2g12%
- Cholesterol 270.0mg90%
- Sodium 172.3mg8%
- Total Carbohydrate 106.1g36%
- Dietary Fiber 4.8g20%
- Sugars 1.4g
- Protein 18.3g37%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
