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Gluten-Free Fougasse: Doing What’s Best For You

“Gluten Free” has become one of those culinary buzzwords, a phrase latched onto by marketing executives or disdained by waitstaff. There’s this assumption that “going gluten-free” is a dietary trend, a ridiculous decision made by people of privilege*. The truth is, it’s a lot more complicated than that. Having Celiac’s Disease is a very clear indication that any amount of gluten is harmful and potentially dangerous to your body. Those with this condition have to learn how to read ingredient labels and protect themselves at restaurants, potlucks, and even family dinners. There’s no grey area here: gluten is harmful. *(That said, privilege absolutely plays a part in the ability to make dietary modifications, let’s not kid ourselves here.) Beyond Celiac’s, there are a lot of people who have felt their bodies respond to gluten in not-so-pleasant ways. I’ve found that, after over a decade of chronic illness, my body is just generally more sensitive to everything, and that eating gluten makes me feel heavy and sluggish and a bit sick. Others find that it triggers migraines or inflammation, perhaps makes them dizzy or fatigued, or even very sick to their stomach. I have always understood listening to the messages our bodies send us; no diet is a magical panacea that makes everyone feel wonderful. When it comes to gluten intolerance or other bad reactions, once we have the knowledge of the source, we become empowered to make our own health decisions. 

That’s why when someone says they are gluten-free, I take them seriously. I trust them to know their body. I do not need an official celiac diagnosis to hear that gluten is just not a good thing for them. That’s also why I like to share gluten-free recipes from time-to-time, so that it becomes easier to accommodate your own needs or prepare food for someone you care about who needs to avoid gluten for one reason or another. Having someone remember and accommodate my dietary needs makes me feel so supported, appreciated, and loved! 

When it comes to baked goods made with raising agents (like muffins, cookies, cakes, quickbreads, etc.), I’ve found the substitution to be actually pretty easy. I use a simple recipe of one part white rice flour (by volume, not weight) to one part tapioca starch. For every 4 cups of flour mixture, I add one tsp. Xantham gum and then mix it all really well. I substitute this cup-for-cup in many of my favorite recipes. Sometimes I also add a little potato starch or almond flour to recipes to help them stay moist longer (as gluten-free treats have a tendency to dry out more quickly), but that’s really all there is to converting most baking recipes to being gluten-free. Bread, however, is a different story. The mechanism for bread rising is the gluten that helps air bubbles form and gives us so many delicious textures, from fine sandwich bread to big, hole-filled sourdoughs. The reason we knead bread is to activate the gluten, which turns the dough silky smooth and provides that necessary structure. Simply substituting gluten-free flour into a normal bread recipe will result in something more akin to a brick. 

The solution? Adding more xantham gum, which helps those bubbles to form. Handling the dough gently so as not to knock any bubbles out. Using a hearty blend of gluten-free flours to impart both taste and texture. One of the best parts of baking gluten-free bread is that there is no reason to knead it! Since the xantham gum is already activated when mixed into the dough, kneading would be pointless and may actually result in a denser bread. Just mix everything together really well and let it rise. It’s that easy. And with gluten-free diets on the rise, it has become easier and easier to source ingredients. I can now find pretty much everything I need for a gluten-free flour mixture at my local supermarket, no need to go to a specialty store or order online! 

Gluten-Free Fougasse

This gluten-free bread recipe is for fougasse, a charming leaf-shaped bread that’s cousin to focaccia, but a bit more flamboyant. It’s chewy and flavorful and perfect for a picnic. I’ve sprinkled mine with homemade wildcrafted za’atar seasoning and extra sesame seeds for lots of flavor! It pairs extraordinarily well with homemade wild herb aioli and is a great addition to a lovely picnic.

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