1. Fougasse is a Provencal based French bread, with that characteristic
shaping and holes in the middle. Just like all rustic breads, it has that crisp crust
that opens up to a tender, creamy interior. This delicious flat bread is usually
stuffed with bacon, cheese or olives. Variations including ones stuffed with
anchovies, dried fruits, nuts, or herbs. In this gourmet food recipe by Chef
Stephane Raimbault of L’Oasis, he makes two types of fougasse breads with
different fillings.

2. One type of fougasse is stuffed with black olives and olive paste while the
other is stuffed with lardon or thick bacon cubes and sprinkled with parmesan
cheese. The familiar fougasse pattern of a lattice (like the ear of wheat) is made
just before baking by slashing the stuffed dough. Aside from the pattern being
achieved, it also helps make the bread crunchy and easier to pull apart. Other
popular patterns for the fougasse resemble a leaf or a tree.
The recipe entails three components, which include the making of the
dough, reparation of the creamy stuffing, and spreading the black olives and
bacon. Meanwhile, in making the dough, regular flour is combined with chickpea
flour. The dough is kneaded in a machine so that it gets a light, refined texture.
For the crust, it’s sprayed with water to make it crisp. A good fifteen to twenty
squirts will do. The dough is folded to seal the stuffing. The creamy stuffing is
made from mixing the olive oil, milk, and flour.
While the best bread is that fresh from the oven, the fougasse may also be
frozen for longer storage and then heated for that special day when you’d like the
comfort of bread. Pair with a glass of aperitif. Serve the fougasse stuffed with
black olives and olive paste to your vegetarian guests while let the rest partake of
the fougasse stuffed with the thick bacon cubes and parmesan cheese.

3. Ingredients
Dough:
 6 cups flour
 1 oz. yeast
 0.7 lbs. chick-pea flour
 1/3 lbs.. milk
 4 cups water
 2 cup olive oil
 8 ½ tablespoons salt
 1.8 oz. butter, cream
 3.5 oz. milk
 1.32 lbs. flour
 3.5 oz. creampepper
Garnish:
 olive paste and chopped olives or diced bacon and parmesan
cheese,gruyere cheese

4. Preparation Instruction:
1. Combine the water and milk. Add the yeast then stir it well. Add the olive oil.
Set aside.
2. Make the dough. Combine the wheat flour and chickpea flour. Pour the mixture
into a kneading machine, add the butter, then start the machine. Add the liquid
mixture then wait for five minutes. Season with salt. Wait for another five
minutes, then the dough is done. Turn the machine off, add a touch of flour, and
then take the dough out. Smoothen the dough by lifting it a little. Set aside then
let the dough stand for 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the stuffing. In a mixing bowl, combine the milk, olive oil,
and flour. Add ground pepper and stir. Then set aside.
4. After the dough has risen, cut it into 350g pieces. Smoothen each piece and
fold it over on itself then let the balls of dough rise for another 5 minutes.
5. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle. Cover some by spreading on
it the stuffing made earlier. Make an olive garnish by mixing olives and olive paste
then spread on the stuffing covered dough but don’t cover them fully. Fold them
over by taking both ends to the middle while slightly overlapping each other.
Meanwhile, stuff the other dough with bacon. Sprinkle with parmesan. Lightly roll
each dough.
6. Sprinkle the bacon-stuffed dough with Swiss cheese. Sprinkle the olive-filled
dough with some flour. Cut through it in six’s using a dough cutter then separate
the pieces. Bake for 20 minutes.