Olive Fougasse (Rustic Bread) -- Abm

Katzen's Note:

This olive-rich is rolled into a rectangle and then slashed with a knife to form a traditional pattern. The sunburst is popular, or a tree branch, a moon, or a sunflower. You won't need butter with this olive oil -drenched bread. From "Rustic European Breads from Your Bread Machine" by Linda West Eckhardt and Diana Collingwood Butts

• Total Time: 2 hrs 10 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients:

Serves: 8

Yield: 2.0 Flatbre ...

• 1 tablespoon bread machine yeast
• 2 ½ cups bread flour
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup milk , warmed
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1⁄3; cup nicoise olive , chopped

Directions:

1. Combine the yeast, flour, sugar, salt, milk, water and olive oil in the bread machine pan and process on the dough setting. At the end of the cycle, turn out the dough onto a lightly floured board and knead in the olives. Turn the bread pan over the dough and let it rest for 15 minutes.
2. Divide the dough into two equal pieces and roll each piece into an 8x10" rectangle. Place each rectangle on a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Make two rows of 6 to 8 evenly spaced diagonal slashes, leaving 1" at the border and in between the rows, cutting all the way through the dough. Open these slits by pulling them well apart with your hands (this traditional pattern looks like a leaf.) Coat the flatbreads with olive oil and set aside to rise until the dough is puffed, about 20 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
4. When loaves are puffy, bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on a rack.

Reviews

[Kasha]

Makes two beautiful, big fougasses. I did use a bit less oil and add a few more olives, as the other reviewer suggested. I also sprinkled herbes de provence on top after painting them with oil before baking. I live in the south of France and these are as good or better than what I can buy from a bakery. Next time I'll make them with bits of bacon and onion.

[Rita~]

A beautiful bread! I made one loaf with Kalamata olives and the other topped with black pepper and fresh rosemary. I used only 1 1/2 teaspoons of rapid rise yeast instead of the 1 tablespoon called for. Just didn`t see the need for it with only 2 1/2 cups flour. My DH does not enjoy olives hences the rosemary and pepper loaf. He did try the olive loaf and made the worst face. Soon after ate the whole other loaf! Yes all himself. THEN proceeded to enjoy the other with olives! Yes he did pick out some of the olives. How can he eat so much? It must be the wonderful recipe I find here. Thanks!

[P_D]

Very nice recipe. I did not make it in an Abm, as I don't own one. I poured the water, milk and olive oil in my stand mixer bowl, then added the flour, sugar, salt, olives and 1 packet of instant yeast. I let the stand mixer mix the ingredients for 7 minutes at speed #2. I then placed the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, covered it with a clean towel. I put this in my oven with just the light on for 1 1/2 hours. I then turned the dough out on floured surface and, punched the air bubbles out. I let it rest covered for 15 mintes and then followed the directions starting at #2. It turned out beautifully.