Kalamata Olive Fougasse

Fougasse is a classic Provençal bread, somewhere between focaccia and breadsticks. It is great for a tear and share loaf and a good loaf to make if you are a bread beginner.

 Ingredients:

1 Jar of Pitted Kalamata Olives

500g strong bread flour
350g lukewarm water
7g  dried yeast
10g salt

Semolina flour for dusting (optional)

Method:

• Weigh the flour, salt, and yeast into a mixing bowl, pour in the water and mix lightly with a wooden spoon.  Chop finely half a jar of the olives and add, mix well.
• When well combined, turn out the dough onto a clean work surface and knead for 5 minutes, use a dough scraper to help you.  Form into a nice ball, place back into the bowl, cover and leave to rise until doubled in size (usually around an hour in room temp.)
• Scatter semolina flour (if using, if not a little extra strong flour) on the work surface, turn out the dough and lightly spread, try not to deflate it too much. Sprinkle with a little more semolina flour on top.

• Using a dough scraper divide into 2 roughly equal pieces.  Use the flat edge of your dough cutter to make several incisions right through the dough, you can be creative with the patterns you create, we like to use a pair of clean scissors to snip into the dough, this creates lovely crispy bits.  Open out the holes you have made with your hands and place on a baking sheet.
•  Brush with a little olive oil from the jar and bake for 15-20 minute in a hot (220C) oven, serve while still warm, dip into the remaining olive oil from the jar.