Texture is similar to pizza crust. Simple recipe to prepare and the slits make it for even baking. You can replace the herbs with your favorites.
Provençal Bread with Olives and Herbs (Fougasse)
The recipe for this bread, sold as a market specialty in the south of France, comes from author Patricia Wells. Here is the step-by-step instructions for shaping the loaves.
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Credit: Todd Coleman
1 tsp. active dry yeast
1 tsp. sugar
4 1⁄2 cups flour
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil,
plus more for brushing loaves
1 tsp. kosher salt
Cornmeal, for dusting
1⁄2 cup minced kalamata olives
1⁄4 cup minced green olives
2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
2 tbsp. minced fresh thyme
1 tbsp. minced fresh rosemary
Sea salt and cracked black pepper,
to taste
1. In a large bowl, stir together yeast, sugar, and 1 1⁄3 cups water heated to 115°; let sit until foamy, 10 minutes. Stir in flour, oil, and salt and mix until a dough forms. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Knead for 6 minutes. Cover with a damp towel; let sit until doubled in size, 1 1⁄2 hours.
2. Heat oven to 500°. Divide dough into 5 equal pieces. Working with one dough piece at a time, roll into a rough 8" x 5" triangle. Transfer rectangle to a cornmeal-dusted, parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, cut three lengthwise parallel slashes in middle of dough and one small slash below and parallel to middle large slash. Spread slashes apart with your fingers. Cover with a damp towel; let rest until puffed, about 30 minutes. Combine olives and herbs in a bowl. Lightly brush each dough piece with oil; sprinkle with olive mixture and season with salt and pepper. Bake, one at a time, until golden brown, about 15 minutes each.
MAKES 5 LOAVES
Ratings & Reviews (3)
This is the first "bread" I have ever made and it came out great. Only thing I had to change was the cooking time. Mine didn't rise as much and I thought it tasted perfect only cooking it for 10 minutes. I was using the same hot cookie sheet for each one so that could explain it. Very yummy!
Good. As MARLJONG mentioned, it's astoundingly pizza-like. Good crust. Tasty, and relatively easy, but more a pizza than a bread.
Provençal Bread with Olives and Herbs (Fougasse)
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 Recipe - Saveur.com){kind=link}