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Fougasse

Fougasse is actually a type of flat bread. A traditional food in the Provence region and should not be missed! One of the distinguishing characteristics of fougasse is that the dough is shaped into the lattice, it can be a leaf or a wheat stalk. The shaping makes it possible to pull the bread into smaller pieces.
A variation on the Italian foccacia, fougasse was traditionally used to assess the temperature of a wood fired oven. The time it would take to bake gave an idea of the oven temperature and whether the rest of the breads could be baked. Traditional Provence Fougasse contains olive chunks and a mixture of fresh herbs according to the season

Fougasse

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon active dry yeast

  • 1 teaspoon sugar

  • 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing loaves

  • 1 tablespoons kosher salt

  • Corn meal

Possible additions: minced kalamata or green olives, capers, minced herbs (parsley, thyme, rosemary), red onion, sun-dried tomatoes, anchovies, chilies, mozzarella, feta or goat cheese, caramelized onions, bacon.

Preparation:

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together yeast, sugar, and 1 ⅓ cups water heated to 110°; let sit until foamy, 10 minutes. 

  2. Stir in flour, oil, and salt and using the dough hook, knead on speed one for about 10 minutes until a soft dough is formed. Add any flavor additions and knead in at the end.  Place in a lightly oiled bowl to rise until doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours.

  3. Heat oven to 500°. Divide dough into 5 equal pieces and mould into balls. Leave for a 10-minute rest. On a lightly floured surface using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into 8” by 5” triangles, about ½ inch thick. Transfer doughs to a cornmeal-dusted, parchment paper–lined baking sheet.

  4. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough and separate using your fingers to shape the holes. Cover with a damp towel; let rest until puffed, about 30 minutes. Lightly brush each dough piece with oil, sprinkle with any desired additions, and season with salt and pepper. 

  5. Bake, one at a time, until golden brown, about 15 minutes each.

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