Sourdough Olive Fougasse: French Leaf Bread for Sharing

Short answer: shape sourdough into a flat leaf, cut diagonal slits to mimic leaf veins, and load with olives and herbs. Bake hot for 20 minutes for a crispy, shareable bread.

What fougasse is

Fougasse is the French cousin of focaccia — a flat, free-form bread shaped like a leaf or tree. It's:

• Flat (1.5–2 inches tall)
• Crispy throughout
• Easy to tear apart
• Perfect for sharing
• A vehicle for Mediterranean flavors

It's traditionally baked in Provence and served alongside soup or aperitifs.

The recipe

For one fougasse (serves 6–8):

• 400g bread flour
• 280g water (70%)
• 80g active starter
• 25g extra-virgin olive oil
• 8g salt
• 100g pitted olives, roughly chopped (kalamata, Castelvetrano, mixed)
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme
• Coarse sea salt for finishing
• Extra olive oil for brushing

Method

Mix

Combine flour, water, starter, oil, salt. Mix until shaggy.

Bulk

Bulk 4 hours at 75°F.

Folds:

• Fold 1 (30 min): standard
• Fold 2 (60 min): add olives and herbs
• Fold 3 (90 min): standard
• Fold 4 (120 min): standard

Shape

Tip dough onto an oiled sheet pan (no flour). Stretch into a leaf shape, about 12 inches long.

Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to cut 4–6 diagonal slits on each side, pulling the dough apart at each slit. The slits should look like leaf veins.

Final proof

1 hour at room temperature.

Bake

Preheat to 475°F.

Drizzle generously with olive oil. Sprinkle coarse salt.

Bake 20–25 minutes, until deep golden brown.

Why the slits matter

Slits aren't just decorative:

• Increase surface area (more crispy)
• Allow steam to escape (crispier interior)
• Make it easy to tear apart at the table
• Cook faster than a thick loaf

A fougasse without slits is just a flatbread.

Olive selection

The olives are the star. Use the best:

• Kalamata: dark, robust, classic
• Castelvetrano: bright green, mild, beautiful
• Niçoise: tiny, intense
• Mixed Mediterranean: variety of color and flavor

Avoid canned California olives — they're bland.

Variations

Olive + sun-dried tomato

Add 50g chopped sun-dried tomatoes (drained) at fold 2.

Olive + caramelized onion

Add 60g caramelized onion at fold 2.

Olive + anchovy

Add 6 chopped anchovy fillets to the dough. Salty, intense.

Olive + lemon

Add zest of 1 lemon to the dough. Brightens everything.

Roasted garlic

Add 1 head roasted garlic (mashed) to the dough.

Provençal

Olives + rosemary + thyme + lavender (1 tsp dried).

What to serve with

Fougasse is built for:

• Olive oil and balsamic for dipping
• Cheese boards
• Soft cheese (chèvre, brie)
• Wine (rosé, light reds)
• Soup (especially tomato-based)
• Salade niçoise

It's a sharing bread. Tear and pass.

A simple table presentation

• Wooden board
• Fougasse, warm
• Bowl of olive oil + balsamic
• Small dish of flaky salt
• Glass of wine

This is summer in Provence on a 9-inch board.

Storage

Fougasse is best the day it's baked. To store:

• Counter, cloth bag: 2 days
• Reheat in 350°F oven for 5 min
• Don't freeze (texture suffers)

The thin shape means it stales fast. Bake when you'll eat.

A weeknight bake

Fougasse is faster than a boule:

• No long final proof (1 hour)
• No cold retard
• Bakes in 25 minutes

Total time from mix to table: 6 hours. Great for a weekend afternoon project.

Why this bread is special

A fougasse on a table:

• Looks impressive (the leaf shape)
• Tears beautifully
• Has multiple textures (crispy edges, soft interior)
• Carries the olive flavor

It elevates a casual meal into something memorable.

A picnic bread

Fougasse travels well:

• Wrap in a clean tea towel
• Pack with cheese, salami, fruit
• Eat at the picnic
• No knife needed (tear it)

It's the perfect bread for outdoor eating.

A small batch

For just two people:

• Half the recipe
• 200g flour, 140g water, 40g starter, 50g olives
• Bake 18 minutes

Same shape, smaller leaf. Easier portion control.

A gift bread

Wrap a warm fougasse in parchment, tie with twine, and gift to a host.

It says "I made this for you" without requiring a vase or a card.

A scoring lesson

Cutting fougasse into leaf shape is satisfying:

• Use a sharp knife
• Cut decisively
• Pull the dough apart at each slit (don't be timid)
• The bigger the openings, the more crispy edges

Don't worry about perfect symmetry — fougasse is rustic by design.

Why olive oil quality matters

A fougasse drizzled with cheap olive oil tastes okay. The same fougasse with a peppery extra-virgin Italian olive oil is transcendent.

For this bread, splurge on good oil. The flavor is in your face.

A reason to bake this

Fougasse is one of the most underrated sourdough breads. It's:

• Easier than a boule
• More impressive on a table
• Designed to share

If you've never made one, this is your sign.

A final pairing

Fougasse, fresh from the oven, torn apart, drizzled with more good olive oil, eaten with crisp white wine.

It's a moment. Make the bread for that moment.