If you are big into dipping, you may want to double the batch.
You will need:
3 3/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon yeast
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
1/2 cup chopped Kalamata olives
1 1/2 cups water
I’m using my mixer because the dough is a bit stiffer and I want to make sure I get all of the flour mixed in well so I don’t have any dry spots. This can definitely be mixed by hand. Tonight I’m lazy.
In my mixer bowl, I have just added 3 3/4 cup flour and 2 teaspoons of sea salt.
Add 1/4 teaspoon of instant yeast. If using active dry yeast, dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup water before adding to the flour mixture
I realize this doesn’t seem like much, but the dough is going to rise for 18 hours and I don’t want a strong yeast flavor overpowering my fougasse.
Add 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped.
Add 1/2 cup finely chopped kalamata olives.
Using the paddle attachment, mix all the ingredients together.
Pour the water in all at once. I used water straight from the tap. It’s cool to the touch.
Mix just until all of the ingredients are wet and there are no dry flour spots.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 18 hours. Plan your timing accordingly. I have let the dough sit for as long as 24 hours with no problems.
Don’t touch the dough. Don’t refrigerate the dough. Just ignore it for 18 hours. Just walk away. Don’t punch it down or mess with it. Just let it sit.
After 18 hours the dough will have risen.
The dough isn’t as sticky as the no-knead bread dough, but I still heavily four my pastry cloth.
Dump the dough out onto any floured surface.
Sprinkle your hands and the top of the dough with flour. DO NOT knead the dough. DO NOT be tempted to knead the dough. Just leave the air bubbles alone.
Divide the dough in half.
Using your fingers, gently press the dough into a 5 x 10-inch rectangle.
You can gently pull the dough if needed. Just make sure you are gentle.
Place the rectangle on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
Using a pizza wheel slash a slit down the center of the rectangle one inch from the top down to one inch from the bottom.
Carefully pull the slash apart slightly.
This is pulled a little more than slightly. I got a little carried away and exaggerated a bit for the camera.
Now make 3 slashes on an angle down each side of the dough.
Gently open the slashes to form holes.
I like to heavily brush the dough with a good flavored olive oil.
Lightly sprinkle with flaked sea salt. I’m using Maldon Flaked Sea Salt. Love this stuff.
Lightly cover with plastic wrap and let rise for a good hour.
Uncover and place in a preheated 425 degree F oven and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Pretty.
While the bread is rising I like to make the dipping oil.
For this amazing dipping oil you will need:
1/3 cup good quality olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 teaspoon sea salt, I used Pink Himalayan
1/4 teaspoon fresh coarsely ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
This could not be more simple.
Pour 1/3 cup olive oil in a shallow bowl. Add 2 chopped garlic cloves.
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary.
1/4 teaspoon sea salt.
1/4 teaspoon coarse fresh ground black pepper.
1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes.
Stir.
Kalamata Olive and Rosemary Fougasse with Fresh Herb and Pepper Dipping Oil
What is fougasse? It’s basically a French version of Italian focaccia bread. The flatbread can be slashed to form shapes and topped with an herb topping.
Ingredients
Fougasse:
- 3 3/4 cup flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast or active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoons fresh rosemary
- 1/2 cup chopped Kalamata olives
- 1 1/2 cups water
Dipping Oil:
- 1/3 cup good quality olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt I used Pink Himalayan
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh coarsely ground pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
Fougasse:
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In a large mixing bowl combine flour, salt, yeast, rosemary, olives. Stir together. Add water all at once. Mix until the mixture is no longer dry. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 18 hours undisturbed. (if using active dry yeast, dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup of the water.)
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After 18 hours, place dough into a floured surface. DO NOT KNEAD THE DOUGH. Divide dough in half. Gently press each piece into a 5 x 10-inch rectangle. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Make a slash down the center of each rectangle starting one inch from the top down to one inch from the bottom. Gently spread dough apart. Make three slashes on an angle on each side of the dough. Gently pull dough to create a hole. Brush generously with olive oil. Lightly sprinkle with flaked sea salt. Lightly cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for at least one hour. Bake in a preheated 425 degree F oven for 25 minutes or until golden. Makes 2 fougasse.
Dipping Oil:
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Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Let stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
I make this OlivE Fougasse recipe every chri per my sister in laws request! Its absolutely peRfect everytime!!
I’m so happy that you love the fougasse. Thank you so much for commenting. I love readying such positive comments.
Hi Janet,
Wanted to thank you for the fabulous recipe! my family is finishing it in a couple of minutes and cannot tell the difference from our local bakery shop. I guess, I will keep my secret;0)
You are so welcome! Thank you so much. I’m thrilled your family loved your fougasse.
Can we use unbleached flour
Yes, you can! I always use unbleached flour in all of my baking.
Thank You so much
OMG I am in love with this recipe! Next will be with oil cured olive in truffle oil!
Wahoo! I’m so glad you love the fougasse. You’ll have to let me know how your love the truffle oil and olives. Yum!!!
Oh my! Using truffle oil cured olives adds a luxurious touch–and next I will add grated Parmesan cheese to the dipping oil. I admit to using a whole packet of the instant yeast, and it was still wonderful. You have created a monster! I will be making this when I am in France next month!
That just sounds so delicious! I’m so jealous you get to spend so much time in France. Enjoy and happy baking!
I let the mix sit or 18 hours untouched, but it is very wet. What should I do?
If it’s too wet to shape or handle, you could always put it into an 8 x 8’inch pan that has 2 tbl olive oil drizzled into it. Drop the dough in and bake like focaccia. If you can handle it, oil your hands and try to shape it. Next time you make it try adding an additional 2-3 Tbl of flour.
THe Recipe says let sit for 18 hours. THe ingredients say “yeast”. If it were instant yeast, then the rise time would be 2-4 hours max, not 18. Then I see in the comments that you said you use instant yeast. Very confusing. Are you saying that you let rise 18 house with instant yeast???
Hi Kathryn, I use instant yeast for most of my recipes but active dry yeast will work. Just dissolve the yeast in a small amount of water before adding to the flour mixture. And YES I let it rise for 18 hours. This works out well because I’m using such a small amount of yeast. I’ll specify the yeast options in the post and I hope it will be more clear to readers. Thanks so much.
THank you for your response, Janet. I doubled the Instant Yeast to 1/2 teaspoon & let rise 2.5 hours. THen followed the rest of the directions exactly. It Came out PERFECTLY & oh so delicious!
Bravo! I love the quick rise method you used. Thank you so much for sharing that with me and other readers. I will try your method soon.
A whole packet of instant yeast and 18 hours works too. That is what I did with outstanding results. Hmmm…not as fussy as I thought to make bread!
The bread is very forgiving and always bakes up beautifully. Thank you for sharing your ideas, tips, and successes.
Hi, this recipe looks amazing. If I only have green olives, do you think that would be an okay substitute?
Also, if i put the olives and rosemary in the recipe that you suggested to Ali’s comment on 4/15, would i have to use less water since I’m adding moisture from the olives?
Thank you!
Absolutely! You shouldn’t have to add more moisture. I would pat the olives with a paper towel to absorb some of the moisture. That will help.
This bread has become my go to! Its so easy and delicious! Question! If i wanted to add my sourdough starter Do you have a suggestion of what the measurement would be to add?
Hi Ali, My daughter and I have actually been playing around with adding sourdough starter. Here is the recipe that works the best so far. 3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 cup active starter, 1 1/2 cups water. It works best if the dough rises at room temp for at least 24 hours. Very gently release the dough from the bowl with dough scraper and try hard not to break down any of the air pockets. At this point, you can either a loaf of crusty bread or very gently shape into a fougasse. Of course, you can add in the rosemary and olives. However, we have not tested this out on fougasse. Please let me know how it works out for you. Good luck.
I love this bread! It came out perfect following your steps
Bravo! Thank you so much for commenting. It has such great flavors.
How long does the oil keep? By which I mean, can I make it ahead of time? I realize there will be none to keep once it is served. Thank you!
Yes! You can make the oil ahead of time. In fact, it will improve the flavor and make it stronger. This dipping oil goes fast. I never have leftovers. It’s really delicious.
Can I add the olives and rosemary to the regular no knead dough and cook it up in a round loaf as usual?
You sure can. It’s delicious!
Question? From a newbie? I do the overnight no knead dough all the time. But I always find that I have to put more water than called for to get the dough to "grab" all the flour away from the sides of the bowl. This recipe calls for even MORE flour but the same amount of water. Is that a typo? Also, I am mixing by hand. No fancy KitchenAid here, sadly. 🙂
No need for a kitchenaid…no pun intended. No typo is does have more flour. I just get my hands in the bowl and mix it up. Keep kneading it by hand for a minute or so until all of the flour seems to be mixed in. After the rise it should handle just great.
I made this bread today using my Wild Alaskan Sourdough starter. Oh goodness is this bread good! I love it and will make this again. I shared it with my neighbors too. 🙂
First question: Where did you get your Wild Alaskan Sourdough starter? Sounds amazing!
Thank you for your positive comment. You made my day 🙂 Lucky neighbors.
What type of flour do you use? Cant wait tO try this recIpe!
I just use regular unbleached flour.
Boy that looks amazing! Thank you for sharing, xoRobin
You are so welcome. Thank YOU!
Thanks for the yeast info, Janet.
You're welcom.
I'm salivating here girl!
Janet, that looks amazing! One question – what kind of yeast are you using?
I always use Saf instant yeast. Rapid rise yeast will work as well.
Hi Janet darling, can you please tell me what your pastry cloth is made out of, I want to make one as we don't have them in Australia….your Fougasse looks amazing as all your recipes do, but I want to make my pastry cloth first then I can use it to make the Fougasse. Love your work xxxxxxxxxxxx Julie
Hi Julie, the pastry cloth is simply canvas. It's a light canvas. I have just purchased a yard from the fabric store, but it does shrink. Wash it a few times and serge the edges if you would like. You can find them on Amazon. I hope you can find one. I love mine. It's starting to fall apart because I use it so much.
ooh, looks so delicious.
Thank you. It's pretty fabulous.