Feast Cookalong: Fugazzeta

Summer has arrived and one of the many benefits of the warmer weather (along with sunny morning walks, midday swims and languid evenings listening to the cicadas) is that dough rises in about half the time. Which made a recent weekend the perfect time for fugazzeta (Issue 3, page 54) – the Argentinian take on Italian focaccia. Plus, there was a big rugby game on TV and this is a meal that requires nothing more than a pair of hands and a napkin – easy.

Fugazzeta Source: SBS Food

The fugazzeta dough was quick and simple to make – I was a little worried that my yeast was stale (last used for cinnamon buns on Christmas morning) but with a bit of patience (well, exactly as long as the recipe said), it frothed up nicely. Making dough is a hands-on experience and this one was no exception – there was a smooth transition from sticky to smooth and then it was into a bowl and left to its own devices. Given the heat of the day, within an hour the dough was double its original size – excellent news as it meant we could eat it sooner! There was a small hiccup when I realised that I had lent my pizza pan to my sister, so had to make do with a rectangular tin, but with enough melted cheese I didn’t care what shape it was.

Mr Ed thinks caramelised onions are delicious enough to eat on their own, so when I put them on top of pile of cheese (I could only find dolce provolone, not picante) and a bread crust, he was in heaven. We enjoyed our fugazzeta with a salad (oh, who am I kidding – he didn’t touch the salad!) for dinner but this would also be lovely cut into slivers and served with drinks.

What have you cooked from this issue of Feast? We’d love to hear about it – whether it’s the fugazzeta or the pot-au-feu.

Happy feasting!

Editor, Feast