Easy Sourdough Fougasse Bread Recipe [Give It a Try!]

Looking for the next best sourdough bread recipe to impress the family? Then this particularly scrumptious, and super easy sourdough fougasse bread recipe has your name written all over it! The best thing about sourdough fougasse is the unique sourdough flavors transforming a traditional French bread into something phenomenal. Don’t be afraid to customize this recipe to your liking! Scroll down for the full recipe, and give it a try!

Table of Contents

• What is Fougasse Bread?
• Sourdough Fougasse
  • Flour Selection
• Sourdough Fougasse Recipe
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions
  • Nutrition
• Sourdough Fougasse is Excellent!
• FAQs

Print

What is Fougasse Bread?

Fougasse is a type of French flatbread originating in Provence, although it can be found in other areas. It is often recognized by the unique cuts or slashes made in the dough, resembling a leaf or an ear of wheat.

Fougasse is often compared to Italian focaccia, although fougasse is baked on a hot stone, unlike focaccia which is cooked in a well-oiled pan, giving it a different texture and crust.

While it is traditionally topped with herbs, fougasse can be topped with pretty much anything, from cheese to bacon and briny olives, it’s entirely customizable!

Sourdough Fougasse

This delicious and super easy sourdough fougasse recipe requires your brilliant sourdough starter for that unique sourdough touch. While most sourdough bakes often require an entire day, you could opt for overnight fermentation and get to baking the next day for a tasty fougasse brunch!

For same-day baking, I have chosen to include 100g of sourdough starter to speed up the fermentation process. This will also provide the dough with a delicious but unmissable sourdough tang, and lots of bubbles!

Flour Selection

I have chosen to bake my sourdough fougasse with bread flour, but you can use up to 25% whole wheat flour, white whole wheat flour, or even rye flour. Alternatively, you can use all-purpose flour, though a higher protein flour will promise phenomenal results!

Sourdough Fougasse Recipe

Sourdough fougasse is a kind of French bread with an irresistibly crispy crust and pillow-soft interior. This delicious homemade bread recipe is a great way to use some of your leftover sourdough starter, to bake a delightful treat that’ll certainly impress the family!

• Type: Bread
• Cuisine: French
• Recipe yield: 1 loaf
• Calories: 585 kcal
• Preparation time: 30 minutes
• Cooking time: 15 minutes
• Fermentation time: 8 hours
• Total time: 8 hours 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 100g sourdough starter
• 150g water
• 20g olive oil
• 250g bread flour
• 6g salt

Instructions

1. Combine the sourdough starter with water, stirring until the starter is well dissolved.
2. Next, add the oil, flour, and salt into the bowl and gently stir the ingredients with a dough whisk or a knife. Cover the fougasse dough with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. The dough will be dry and shaggy but don’t panic, it’s all part of the process!
3. Transfer the dough onto the kitchen counter, and knead well using your hands. The dough should be very easy to work with, and with enough kneading should transform into a wonderfully soft and silky dough. Spend around 8-10 minutes kneading the dough.
4. Once the dough feels silky and elastic to the touch, place the dough into a warm bowl. You can warm a bowl with some water and then wipe it dry. The warm bowl will help the dough rise faster. Cover the dough with cling wrap or a damp tea towel, and leave it to rise until it has doubled.
5. Once the dough has doubled, shape the dough into a ball, and leave this on the counter covered with a tea towel, for 30 minutes.
6. Shape your dough into a rough oval using either your hands or a rolling pin. Place the fougasse-shaped dough onto a baking stone and lightly flour with semolina or a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
7. Let the fougasse rest at room temperature for an hour until the dough appears puffy.
8. Once you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 450 degrees F, ensuring that it is very hot.
9. Take a razor or small kitchen knife and make some slashes in the dough. You can make any pattern you like, but I like to make several diagonal slashes so that the dough resembles a rough leaf. Pull the dough apart a little so that the slashes don’t close up while the dough bakes.
10. If you wish to include any type of topping i.e., kalamata olives, cheddar cheese, or bacon then you can add them at this stage.
11. Place your fougasse in the hot oven for 10-15 minutes or until it’s nice and crispy.
12. Remove the fougasse from the oven once it’s golden brown, then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and fresh rosemary. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition

• Calories: 585 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 100g
• Protein: 16g
• Fat: 12g
• Saturated fat: 2g

Sourdough Fougasse is Excellent!

If you loved sourdough fougasse, then perhaps it’s time to try its distant relative, this fabulous sourdough focaccia recipe will have you coming back for several bites till your stomach is just about ready to pop! Or if you’re looking for easy to eat finger bread, check out my sourdough pull apart bread.

Don’t forget to pair it with your favorite dips! And if you’re looking for a main dish to pair this with, why not try this chicken divan recipe? You’ll love it!

More European sourdough recipes:

• Semolina Sourdough Bread
• Sourdough Fruit Loaf
• Tasty Sourdough Brioche Bread Recipe

FAQs