Provençal French · Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur · mezze

Fougasse aux Olives

fougasse aux olives

Fougasse is the Provençal cousin of focaccia — a flat, leaf-shaped bread slashed open so the crust-to-crumb ratio tips way toward crust. Studded with olives and herbs, it's baked until the edges go golden and almost cracker-crisp while the center stays chewy. In Provence it shows up at the boulangerie every morning and doubles as an apéritif snack alongside a glass of rosé.

• bread flour (or all-purpose flour)

  3 cups

  360g

• instant yeast (also sold as rapid-rise yeast)

  1 tsp

  3g

• fine sea salt

  1 1/4 tsp

  7g

• warm water (about 100°F / 38°C)

  1 cup + 2 tbsp

  270ml

• extra-virgin olive oil, divided (plus more for the pan and drizzling)

  4 tbsp

  60ml

• Castelvetrano or Cerignola olives, pitted and roughly torn

  3/4 cup

  120g

  Substitution · closer-to-authentic

  Original: Niçoise or Lucques olives. Niçoise olives are ideal — small, briny, and very Provençal — but they can be hard to find outside specialty stores. Castelvetrano or Cerignola are widely available and work beautifully; Kalamata is a fine backup, though it's stronger in flavor.

• fresh thyme leaves

  1 tbsp

  3g

• fresh rosemary, finely chopped

  1 tsp

  1g

• coarse kosher salt (such as Morton or Diamond Crystal), for finishing

  1/2 tsp

  2g

  Substitution · accessibility

  Original: fleur de sel. Fleur de sel is a hand-harvested French sea salt with delicate, moist flakes and a subtly mineral flavor — it's the classic Provençal finishing salt. Coarse kosher salt delivers the same textural crunch and seasoning hit but lacks fleur de sel's nuanced minerality. If you can find fleur de sel (Trader Joe's and Whole Foods sometimes carry it), use it — it genuinely elevates the finished bread.

1. 01

   10 min

   Mix the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, and fine sea salt. Add the warm water and 2 tbsp (30ml) of the olive oil. Stir with a wooden spoon or your hand until a shaggy dough forms, then knead in the bowl (or on a lightly floured surface) for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky — it should pull away from the bowl cleanly. It's a wetter dough than a sandwich loaf; don't add too much extra flour.

2. 02

   75 min

   First rise: Drizzle a little olive oil in the bowl, turn the dough to coat, and cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let it rise at room temperature until roughly doubled, about 60–75 minutes. (If your kitchen is cool, it may take a bit longer — that's fine.)

3. 03

   10 min

   Shape the fougasse: Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) with a rack in the center. Generously oil a large rimmed baking sheet (half-sheet pan) with olive oil. Turn the dough out onto the pan and press and stretch it into a rough oval or leaf shape, about 12 inches long and 8 inches wide (30 x 20cm). Don't fight it — if it springs back, let it rest 5 minutes and try again. Scatter the torn olives, thyme, and rosemary over the surface and press them gently into the dough.

4. 04

   5 min

   Cut the leaf pattern: Using a bench scraper, sharp knife, or kitchen scissors, cut one long slash down the center of the oval (leaving about an inch of dough at each end), then cut 3–4 angled slashes on each side of the center cut, like the veins of a leaf. Gently pull the cuts open with your fingers — they should gap open about 1 inch (2.5cm). This is what makes fougasse fougasse.

5. 05

   15 min

   Second rest: Let the shaped fougasse rest uncovered on the pan for 15 minutes while the oven finishes heating. The dough will puff slightly.

6. 06

   22 min

   Finish and bake: Drizzle the remaining 2 tbsp (30ml) olive oil evenly over the top of the fougasse and sprinkle with coarse kosher salt. Bake at 450°F (230°C) for 18–22 minutes, until the surface is deep golden and the edges are lightly crisp. The slashed openings should look toasty and a little crackery — that's exactly right.

7. 07

   10 min

   Cool and serve: Slide the fougasse onto a wire rack or wooden board. Let it cool for at least 10 minutes before tearing into it — it's best served warm or at room temperature, not piping hot. Tear pieces off at the table; don't slice it.

Reheating · Muhammara, ajvar, romesco. Often improves after a day as flavors meld.

Source: foodkeeper