Herb and Olive Fougasse

🧂 Ingredients

• 1 cup bread flour

  spooned and leveled
• ½ cup filtered water

  70°-75°F
• ⅛ tsp active dry yeast
• 3 ¼ cups bread flour

  spooned and leveled
• 1 cup filtered water

  100°-105°F
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp active dry yeast
• 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

  plus more for brushing
• 2 Calabrian chiles

  finely chopped, or a large pinch of red pepper flakes
• 2 tsp fresh oregano

  chopped
• 2 tsp fresh rosemary

  chopped
• ¾ cup kalamata olives

  pitted and halved
• flaky sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

• 1 Mix the flour, water, and yeast in a 1-quart container. Cover and let ferment at
  room temperature for 8-12 hours.
• 2 Add the poolish, flour, salt, and water to the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted
  with a dough hook. Mix on the lowest speed until the dough is shaggy, about 1
  minute. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 20 minutes.
• 3 Add the yeast to the mixture. Turn the mixer on low and slowly drizzle in the
  olive oil. Turn the mixer up to medium and continue mixing for 3-5 minutes. Add
  the herbs, chiles, and olives, and mix until incorporated, about 1 minute.
  Don't. worry if the olives aren't fully distributed.
• 4 Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise
  at room temperature for 1 hour. Halfway through, punch down the dough and fold
  the sides over itself. Re-cover the bowl and let rise for the remaining time.
• 5 Preheat the oven to 450 F. Line two half-sheet pans with parchment paper and
  lightly oil the top of the parchment.
• 6 Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead into a ball. Divide the
  dough into two and place it on the prepared sheet pans. Using your fingers,
  flatten each piece into a 12×8-inch oval and then gently stretch the bottom to
  form a rough triangle. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 10 minutes.
• 7 Make two vertical cuts in the center of each oval using a sharp knife or pizza
  cutter. Reach under the dough and spread it apart to open up the cuts. Then,
  make six diagonal cuts on each side of the center cuts. Again, reach under the
  dough and gently spread it outward to form the leaf shape. Let rise uncovered
  until noticeably puffy, about 20-30 minutes.
• 8 Generously coat the dough's surface with olive oil using a pastry brush.
  Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and black pepper. Bake until golden brown, about
  20-25 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven and brush with more olive oil.

Nutrition Info