Fougasse
After a couple of unusually hot days in California, I couldn’t help but feel some anticipation for summer. I spent the weekend by the pool, bbq-ing, indulging in my favorite ice cream, and watching travel videos of the French Riviera. I also made this delicious French olive bread, fougasse.
Fougasse
I love watching those travel guide films, especially when they share views of the beautiful lavender fields of Provence and glimmering turquoise waters of the Cote d’Azur.
To quell my pressing need for a dose of Southern France, I made this Provencal olive bread called fougasse. Eating the flavorful bread, warm out the oven, I could almost feel the sea breeze on my face and smell the lavender trailing through the air.
Fougasse is the French equivalent of Italian focaccia bread, as it’s made with fresh herbs and good olive oil.
Fougasse differs, however, in that it usually has more than just herbs in its dough. Additions can range from chopped olives to lardons (bacon) and fromage (cheese).
In this classic version, I utilized rosemary, thyme, and oregano, along with some delectable mixed olives. The combination is absolutely intoxicating.
This recipe yields 2 “loaves” of fougasse, but no one can be sure since it always seems to disappear faster than one can count.
You’ll notice the fougasse is also shaped a bit differently, but it’s nothing to be weary of. The dough is simply stretched into an oval shape and then slashed in specific areas to make the bread look like an ear of wheat.
I’m never too concerned with how the bread looks. Instead, I enjoy the pattern of the bread for the ease it lends to tearing this bread apart into bite-size pieces.
This is the kind of bread that’s perfect for a tapas gathering, where the group is intimate and everyone can enjoy picking at this delightful bread throughout the evening.
Fougasse
A Provencal bread infused with the flavor of olives and shaped to look like an ear of wheat.
Ingredients
- 14 oz . all-purpose flour, just under 4 cups
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1.5 tsp chopped rosemary
- 1.5 tsp chopped thyme
- 1.5 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp active dry yeast
- 250 ml warm water, a little over 1 cup, 115°F
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for greasing
- 2 tbsp chopped olives
Instructions
- To a measuring cup filled with the warm water, add the yeast. Give it a gentle stir, then let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the flour, salt, and herbs in a large bowl. Once the yeast is frothy, pour the yeast mixture into the flour, along with the olive oil, and stir the dough with a wooden spoon until it starts coming together into a ball shape.
- Grease your work surface with olive oil and turn the dough out onto this surface. The dough may still look somewhat shaggy, this is OK. Use the heel of your hand to knead the dough into a smooth ball. If it's still looking shaggy after a couple of attempts to make it look smooth, drizzle a little more olive oil and knead again.
- Grease a large bowl, then transfer the dough into the bowl. Cover the bowl with a sheet of plastic wrap and place in a warm area to rest for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or grease with olive oil. Regrease your work surface (if needed) and turn out your dough onto the surface. Slightly stretch the dough out into rectangular shape. Add the chopped olives, then fold the dough corners in to sort of "seal" the olives in. Knead the dough, turning it over every now and then, to evenly disperse the olives throughout the dough.
- Split the dough in half. Loosely cover one half with a sheet of plastic wrap and let it be. Take the other half of dough and transfer it to your prepared baking sheet. Stretch out the dough into an oval shape. Take a pair of kitchen scissors and make a vertical cut down the center of the dough (not enough to split the dough in half, but just create a divide in the center - refer to photos). Make 3 separate, smaller cuts along each side of the center (again, refer to photos). Brush the bread with some olive oil.
- Bake the bread for 16 to 20 minutes, until golden throughout. Repeat the shaping and slashing for the remaining half of dough. Then bake as instructed.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 2 ServingsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 909
That’s it. I’m moving to California so we can sit out by the pool, go to the beach, plan a month long trip to Paris, and eat lots of this bread. lol! Seriously, don’t be too surprised if I show up at on your doorstep soon. In the meantime, I’ll be packing my suitcase and making several of these fougasse to enjoy eating before I fly out 🙂
Yay!! I can’t wait for the day you’re my neighbor. I’ll be at YOUR house everyday <3 But seriously, when are you moving here!!?? 😉 <3
I have never made fougasse, but I have bought it many times in the South of France. Yours looks so incredibly moorish Beeta, I might be tempted to double the recipe! xx
Thanks, Louise!! Yes, even though this recipe yields 2 breads, they disappear really fast at my gatherings so doubling would be very wise 😉
My mouth is doing a whole lot of watering right now. And the formation which allows the eater to so easily tear pieces off for devouring sounds like a marvelously dangerous idea! 🙂
Thanks, Jessie!! It’s so easy to tear off – it’s definitely easy to devour in a breeze! 😉
Wonderful!! will make this weekend
Thank you! Hope you enjoy 🙂
I don’t know if there is anything better than homemade bread. This looks sensational Beeta!
There truly isn’t, Jess! Thanks so much <3
I always see these sitting gloriously in the window of bakeries yet have never tried making them myself – shall give it a go for my next dinner party- thank you for reminding me! Love the idea of adding cheese too. Beautiful photography as always – love the shot of the torn bread and that sumptuous soft white interior. Apologies for the previous comment – I pressed send by mistake! Xx
Thanks, Sophia! It’s such a simple bread to make – it’s wonderful for dinner parties. Thank you so much for your kind comment <3
I’ve had focaccia bread, but never fougasse… where the heck has this been my whole life?! This bread looks absolutely delicious, Beeta! Love the herbs and olives in here! I bet this bread makes your house smell amazing while it is baking! I could make a meal out of just this bread and some good olive oil. Yummmm. Cheers, sweets! xo
It totally makes the house smell great, and is great play off of classic focaccia. This bread is definitely meal-worthy!! 🙂 Thanks my dear <3
I’ve always wanted to make/try fougasse – this looks so good Beeta! Well done.
Thanks, Angela! It’s quickly become a regular in my kitchen! 🙂