Fougasse (also spelled fougace) is a flat, sculpted bread from Provence — shaped by slashing the dough to create distinctive “branches” before baking. Made with wheat flour, baker’s yeast and olive oil, it was traditionally the bread bakers used to test their wood-fired ovens before loading the day’s loaves. The apprentices ate it as their morning snack — and nothing was wasted!
It comes in both savoury and sweet versions. In the south-east of France, you’ll find a brioche-style sweet fougasse. Savoury fougasse is wonderful as an aperitif, stuffed with olives, cheese, herbs or whatever you fancy.
Basic Fougasse Dough (makes 2 large fougasses)
- 500 g plain flour (T65 or bread flour)
- 7 g instant dried yeast (or 15 g fresh yeast)
- 10 g salt
- 10 g caster sugar
- 300 ml warm water
- 60 ml olive oil
5 Topping Ideas
- 🫒 Pitted black olives + fresh rosemary
- 🧀 Gruyère + crispy lardons
- 🍅 Sun-dried tomatoes + fresh basil
- 🌿 Herbes de Provence + fleur de sel
- 🧄 Garlic oil + thyme
Instructions
- Mix the flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Add the warm water and olive oil. Knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 1–1.5 hours until doubled in size.
- Divide the dough in two. Flatten each piece into an oval about 2 cm thick on a floured surface.
- Press your chosen toppings into the surface of the dough.
- Using a sharp knife or dough cutter, make a large central cut and several diagonal cuts on either side — like the branches of a leaf or tree. Gently stretch the dough to open the cuts.
- Place on a lined baking tray and leave to rest for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 220°C (430°F).
- Bake for 15–18 minutes until golden and crispy.
Bonne dégustation! 🥖🇫🇷