Olive & Herb Fougasse

📝 Ingredients

• 220 g plain flour (200 g for the dough, 20 g for the work surface)
• 1 sachet dried baker's yeast (5.5 g)
• 130 ml lukewarm water
• ½ tsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 3 tbsp olive oil (2 for the dough, 1 for brushing)
• 60 g pitted black olives
• 2 tsp herbes de Provence
• ½ tsp fleur de sel

🍴 Utensils

• Mixing bowl
• Baking tray + baking paper
• Pointed knife
• Pastry brush
• Clean tea towel
• Wire rack

📖 Steps

1. In the mixing bowl, combine 200 g flour, the yeast and sugar, then add the salt to one side: in direct contact, it slows down the yeast. Pour in the lukewarm water (pleasant to the touch, never hot) and 2 tbsp oil, then mix until it forms a ball.
2. Knead on the floured work surface for 8 to 10 minutes, pushing the dough away with the heel of your hand and then folding it back, until smooth, elastic and no longer sticky. If it sticks, add the remaining flour in small pinches.
3. Drain the olives, slice them into rings and pat them dry well with kitchen paper. Flatten the dough, scatter over the olives and herbes de Provence, fold over and knead for 1 minute to work them in well.
4. Shape into a ball, put it back in the bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for 1 hour in a warm, draught-free place, until doubled in size.
5. Knock back the dough by pressing down on it with your fist, then stretch it out by hand directly on the lined baking tray into a leaf shape about 30 × 20 cm and 1 cm thick.
6. With the pointed knife, make a lengthways cut down the centre, then 3 diagonal cuts on each side, going right through the dough. Pull the slits open with your fingers by 2 to 3 cm, or they will close up during baking.
7. Preheat the oven to 230 °C and leave the fougasse to rest for 20 minutes, covered with the tea towel. Brush the top with the last spoonful of oil and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
8. Bake on the middle shelf for 15 to 18 minutes, until the fougasse is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped underneath. Leave to cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack, then tear by hand to share.