Chorizo And Thyme Fougasse Recipes

Steps:

• Roll out the puff pastry on a well-floured work surface until about 14-inches square and 1/8-inch thick. Trim the edges, if necessary, and cut the puff pastry into 4 squares. You may need to roll the puff pastry larger or smaller depending on the size of the meat. Put them in a single layer onto one or two baking sheets and into the refrigerator to firm up.
• Rinse the dried mushrooms in cold water, put them into a small bowl and cover them with hot water. Let soak for 20 minutes.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is very hot, season the meat with salt and pepper and sear on each side for 1 minute per side. Set aside.
• Turn the heat down to medium, add the shallots to the pan and cook until they are soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the butter and fresh mushrooms and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Drain the dried mushrooms and chop them finely. Add them to the pan along with the sherry, if using. Turn the heat up a bit and cook until the mushrooms are almost dry, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the thyme and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 1 more minute, take the pan off the heat and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Remove the pastry from the refrigerator. Put a large tablespoon of the mushroom mixture in the center of a pastry square and spread it out to the same size as the meat. Place a piece of tenderloin on top and brush some egg wash around the edges of the pastry. Fold up the corners and sides of the pastry so they meet and overlap slightly in the middle. Turn it over so the seams are down and shape it into a neat package with your hands. Repeat with the other three squares. If the pastry has gotten soft, put the packages back in the refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes to firm up. This will make sure the pastry does not just melt into a gooey mess in the oven before it has a chance to puff up. Save the remaining mushroom mixture for the sauce.
• When you are ready to bake, cut a design into the top of each package with a paring knife. Brush them all over with egg wash. Bake for 14 minutes for medium rare or adjust the time shorter or longer according to how you like your meat cooked.
• While the Wellingtons are baking, reheat the mushroom mixture. Add the cream and cook on high for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Remove from the heat, cover and keep warm.
• When the Wellingtons are ready, remove them from the oven and serve with the sauce and a big glass of hearty red wine.

Steps:

• Place a baking stone in the middle of the oven and preheat to 470 degrees F.
• On a lightly floured work surface, cut the dough into 4 equal pieces with a bench scraper.
• Using your fingertips, flatten the dough pieces. Transfer 1 of the pieces to the back of a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and lightly dusted with cornmeal. Cover generously with walnuts and Gorgonzola and top with another piece of dough. Press down on the edges to seal. Using a small palette knife, cut 8 evenly spaced holes in the dough. Stretch the dough to enlarge the holes. Lightly brush the fougasse with olive oil and cover lightly with plastic wrap. Place the loaf in a warm place and let rise for 30 minutes. Repeat to make 1 more loaf.
• Working with 1 loaf a time, slide the fougasse, still on the parchment paper, onto the baking stone. Bake until crispy and brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the fougasse to a rack to cool. Repeat with the remaining loaf.
• Pate Fermentee just means "old dough". "Old dough?", you say. Well, this old dough is basically a starter that is made the day before, and cuts down on the time you eventually spend in the kitchen. Nothing wrong with that. It also makes the bread last longer, gives it a slightly acidic and subtly complex flavor, and helps the inside of the bread form tiny irregular holes that are a sign of great artisanal bread (called "crumb" in baker-speak).
• If you can, try weighing out the ingredients, instead of using measuring cups and spoons-it's much more accurate.
• Use this dough to make Scali, an Italian sesame seed-crusted bread, or Gorgonzola and Walnut Fougasse-or both.
• 1 recipe refrigerated Pate Fermentee (1 3/4 pounds), recipe follows
• 1 1/2 cups minus 1 tablespoon 80 degree F. water (.71 pound)
• 3 1/2 cups unbleached, unbromated all-purpose flour (1 pound)
• 1 teaspoon minus 1/16 teaspoon instant dry yeast (2.8 grams)
• 2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt (9 grams)
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the pate fermentee and water and, using your hands, break up the dough into the water.
• In another bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the pate fermentee mixture and mix by hand until firm and cohesive, about 3 minutes. Allow dough to rest for 10 minutes.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough until very elastic and smooth, about 10 to 15 minutes. Take the dough's temperature. It should be at 78 degrees F. Transfer the dough to a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap (the plastic should not touch the dough). Place the bowl in a warm place (about 75 to 78 degrees F.) and let rise for a total of 1 hour and 45 minutes. After the first 45 minutes, fold the dough and turn it over in the bowl. (It will somewhat deflate the dough, but it is gentler than what's commonly referred to as "punching down.")
• Let the dough rise, undisturbed, for 1 hour more. (The dough will rise considerably at this point.)
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Press the dough gently into a rectangle, to degas it.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and yeast. Add the water and, using your hands, mix until incorporated, about 3 minutes. (Alternatively, mix in a mixer on the lowest setting possible.) Cover bowl with plastic wrap and put in a warm place (about 75 degrees F.). Let the dough ferment for 1 hour. Take the dough's temperature. It should be at 75 degrees F.
• Refrigerate the dough at least 10 hours and up to 36 hours. When ready, it will be roughly doubled in size and have a fine network of filaments and holes. Make this recipe the night before you mix the dough.

Steps:

• Put the flour in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, sprinkle the yeast over 1/4-cup/60 ml warm water. Stir 1/4-cup/60 g flour from the large bowl into the yeast to make a paste. Let sit until it starts to foam, about 10 minutes.
• Make a well in the flour. Crack in the eggs, and add the salt, oil, and chopped rosemary. Pour in 1/4-cup/60 ml water and mix. Finally, add the yeast starter to combine, and gradually draw in the flour to make dough. Add the olives and knead into smooth dough. Place in a bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place 1 hour.
• Punch down the dough and roll into a thin rectangle, using a rolling pin. Place on a baking sheet. Cook's Note: You can scatter cornmeal underneath if you like.
• Cut three slits down each side, to give the bread a leaf look. Separate the slits with your fingers to make long holes. Let the bread rise 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Whisk together the egg and water, if using. Brush the top of the bread with the egg wash, then bake until risen and golden, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let cool 10 minutes at least before serving.