Sourdough Fougasse Recipe

This simple sourdough French Flat Bread can be mixed and baked on the same day and is the perfect centrepiece to a table shared with friends.

Course Main Course, Snack

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword Sourdough Recipes, Thermomix Sourdough

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 15

Fermentation Time 8

Total Time 8 45

Servings Fougasse

Calories 585kcal

Equipment

Digital Scales
Mixing Bowl

Ingredients

100 g Sourdough Starter
150 g Water
20 g Olive Oil
250 g Bread Flour
6 g Salt

Instructions

Measure out the sourdough starter and water. Stir together until the sourdough starteri is dissolved into the water.
Now, add the oil, flour and salt into the bowl and gently stir together with a dough whisk or knife. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the dough to sit for around 30 minutes.
The dough will seem a little dry and shaggy and that's ok! You can see photos of how the dough looks through the process in the recipe notes above.
Now, tip the dough out onto the counter and knead it really well using your hands. This is a lovely dough to work with and with the right kneading, it will become soft and silky. I find it takes around 10 minutes to come together when kneading by hand.
Once the dough is silky and elastic, pop it into a warm bowl (I warm a bowl with water and then dry it - this speeds up the rising).
Cover with cling wrap or a damp tea towel and leave to rise until it has doubled.
Once the dough has doubled, separate into two balls (or leave whole if you want one large fougasse)
Leave the balls on your counter top, covered with a tea towel, for around 30 minutes to allow the gluten to relax.
Once you're ready to shape the fougasse, take a piece of the dough and shape it into a rough oval. You can either use your hands to press it out or a rolling pin if you prefer. Place each fougasse onto a pizza peel dusted with semolina or a baking tray lined with baking paper.
Allow the fougasse to rest at room temp for around an hour. They should get nice and puffy and look pillowy.
When you are ready to bake, pre heat your oven to 230C/450F and make sure it's HOT!!
Take a razor (lame) or small kitchen knife and make slashes in the dough. You can choose to make a pattern or just see what takes your fancy. Pull the dough apart a little so that the slashes don't close up when the dough hits the oven.
If you want to add toppings like herbs or cheese, add these now.
Place your fougasse into the hot oven for around 10 to 15 minutes or until they are crispy.
I choose to bake these fougasse in a gas fired pizza oven directly on the stone. I use a perforated pizza peel to transfer them from the wooden pizza peel to the stone.
Remove from the oven when they are golden baked and drizzle with olive oil and herbs of your choice.
Serve and enjoy warm right from the oven.

Nutrition