WALNUT-FIG BREAD

Steps:

• Stir warm water, sugar, and yeast in a small bowl until yeast is dissolved. Let mixture stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Brush a large bowl with oil and set aside.
• Place flours, 1 cup dried figs, fennel seeds, and salt in another bowl. Add yeast mixture; bring mixture together with your hands. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer dough to oiled bowl, and cover loosely with a piece of lightly oiled plastic wrap. Let dough rise in a warm place until almost doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead in walnuts and remaining 1 cup dried figs (be aggressive with the dough to work in nuts and figs). Shape dough into a ball; pull seams in toward bottom to stretch and smooth top.
• Brush a baking sheet with oil; place dough in the middle. Loosely cover with a piece of lightly oiled plastic wrap. Let dough rise in a warm place until almost doubled in bulk, about 40 minutes.
• Bake until bread is light golden brown, about 30 minutes. Loosely tent with foil, and continue to bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the bottom of loaf registers 180 degrees and comes out clean, about 30 minutes more. Immediately transfer loaf to a wire rack; let cool completely before slicing.