We love the flavours of Provence, the savoury: onions, garlic, sundried tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, and the sweet, particularly the crystalised and preserved fruits. The fruit and veg stalls in the Flower Market in Nice is a sight to see.
This Fougasse takes in some of the savoury elements and the ability to tear off pieces at the table makes it a great sociable accompaniment to food with friends – if it lasts that long.
Prepping: gently fry the onions and garlic in a generous amount of olive oil and cool completely. Soak the sundried tomatoes, drain well, leave in largish pieces. If the olives are in brine you might want to soak them in advance. Don’t chop too small.
Mix all the ingredients and knead using your normal method. If you’re new to baking check out the Sourdough pdf under the Library Menu.
Form into a rough ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover. Allow to ferment for about four hours stretching each hour for the first three hours. This is not essential but will improve the dough structure.
Alternatively ferment overnight in the fridge.
Oil a pizza tin or baking sheet. With oiled hands roughly round up the dough, place it seam side down on the tin and gently press it out to a circle. Don’t press it out too far because it will spread further after an initial prove. Cover the dough.
After about an hour, press the dough out a little further and cut slots in a decorative pattern. A rocking motion with a plastic scraper while easing the cuts open with your fingers is a good way to do this. Cover the dough again.
Preheat the oven to about 250C.
After a further hour’s prove it will probably be ready to go. You might need to ease open the cuts in the dough again remembering that they will narrow as the dough rises in the oven.
Bake for 10 minutes then reduce the heat to about 210C for a further 15-20 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack
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