Fougasse aux Herbes de Provence

A recipe for Fougasse aux Herbes de Provence! This wheat-shaped Provençal bread is filled with Herbes de Provence and baked until golden.

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I first came across the inspiration for this Fougasse aux Herbes de Provence over on Spice Roots and was immediately drawn into the gorgeous shape of the bread.

A cousin to the Focaccia, Fougasse is a type of flatbread found in the Provence region in southeastern France. The version I am sharing today has the dough simply infused with Herbes de Provence, but other mix-ins such as onions, lardons, cheese, and/or olives are popular.

After bringing together the dough and rising a couple of times, it is formed into an oval with cuts along the sides to resemble an ear of wheat or leaf. This notable design helps the bread bake evenly with crisp edges.

Following one final rise, the Fougasse is baked in a hot oven with steam to develop a thin, crisp crust with a soft and chewy interior.

The bread is best warm from the oven and especially within a day of baking. It is delicious simply dipped in olive oil or alongside cheese, fruit, and other accompaniments. The distinctive cuts make it easy to tear off individual pieces.

Herbes de Provence

Herbes de Provence is a seasoning blend based on the fragrant herbs grown in the Provence region of France.

The exact combination of herbs vary based on the blend. Popular additions include thyme, rosemary, savory, oregano and sometimes basil, marjoram, and/or lavender.

If you are unable to locate it, you can also make your own. I haven’t personally tried it, but Daring Gourmet has a recipe for homemade Herbes de Provence.

Forming the Fougasse

After dividing the risen dough into individual rounds, the bread needs to rise briefly once more before shaping.

To shape, press or roll one ball of dough into an oval about 12 inches (30.5 centimeters) long and 8 inches (20 centimeters) wide.

This is where the fun begins. Cut lines completely through the dough on the diagonal across both sides of the bread to form the notable wheat shape. I like to do this on the piece of parchment since moving the formed bread from a work surface onto the baking sheet can be tricky.

Use a sharp knife or dough scraper to cut completely through the dough. I generally use a dough scraper since it is usually the perfect length for even lines and less likely to cut all the way into the parchment.

After cutting out the lines, gently spread out the bread, making the loaf slightly wider across the bottom, to give plenty of space for the bread to rise once more and bake without the notable lines closing.

I kept the bread simple with 6-7 cuts, but you can also create more intricate designs. Another option is to make one or two vertical lines down the center of the oval, then about three smaller diagonal lines for the leaves on each side.

For a more crispy bread, arrange the lines about 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) apart. For more soft and chewy pieces, make the lines closer to 2 inches (5 centimeters) apart or so.

If desired, you can brush the top of the shaped bread with more olive oil and sprinkle with a little flaky sea salt immediately before placing in the oven.

A Few More Fougasse Tips

When adding the yeast to the water, make sure the water isn’t too hot or it will damage the yeast. The temperature should be about 105˚F (40˚C)- just warm enough to activate. Allow to rest at room temperature until frothy, about 10 minutes.

Some recipes use bread flour while others go with all-purpose. I went with bread flour in the update to add to the chewy texture. If using all-purpose, you may need to adjust the amount of water.

Do not pack in the flour when measuring or you may end up with too much. To measure flour, gently spoon it into the measuring cup and level with a knife without pressing down. The most accurate way to measure is by weight.

If the dough is too crumbly and just won’t come together after mixing everything together thoroughly, add some more lukewarm water, a splash at a time. Give it some time to blend fully with the flour before adding more.

Add just enough flour to create a smooth and workable dough. Too much flour will cause the bread to become dense.

In a warm kitchen, the first rise should take about 1-1 1/2 hours to double in size. During the winter with cooler temperatures, it sometimes takes closer to 2 hours.

Adding the ice cubes to the baking dish in the bottom of the oven will produce some steam that helps develop the crust over the bread. If baking the bread in batches, add more ice as needed.

The Fougasse aux Herbes de Provence is best the day it is baked. Leftover loaves can be frozen in an airtight container for up to three months. Reheat in a 350˚F (180˚C) oven straight from the freezer.

When updating this recipe, I included enough to make three loaves (because two never seemed to be enough). The ingredients can easily be halved to make two smaller loaves or one large bread.

Looking for more homemade bread?

Try my:

• Olive Oil Herb Bread
• Seelen
• Lepinja (Balkan Flatbread)

This recipe was originally posted in May 2013 and updated in October 2024.

Fougasse aux Herbes de Provence

Adapted from Spice Roots

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5 from 1 vote

Fougasse aux Herbes de Provence

A recipe for Fougasse aux Herbes de Provence! This wheat-shaped Provençal bread is filled with Herbes de Provence and baked until golden.

Course Bread

Cuisine French

Keyword bread, flatbread, fougasse, France, French, Herbes de Provence

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Servings 3 Loaves

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 teaspoons (7 grams) active dry yeast
• 1 2/3 cups lukewarm water 105-115˚F, 40-46˚C
• 5 cups (650 grams) bread flour
• 2 tablespoons dried Herbes de Provence
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) olive oil plus more for greasing
• Ice for baking

Instructions

• In a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the lukewarm water. Stir briefly to combine, then allow to sit at room temperature until frothy, about 10 minutes.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or a large bowl, combine the flour, Herbes de Provence, and salt.
• Slowly add in the olive oil, followed by the water and frothy yeast mixture to bring together the dough.
• Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. If too crumbly, slowly add a little more water. If too sticky to handle, slowly add a little more flour.
• Grease a large bowl with olive oil and add the dough, turning to coat.
• Cover the bowl and allow to rise at room temperature until doubled in size, 1-2 hours.
• On a work surface lightly greased with olive oil, divide the dough into 3 equal pieces. Form each piece into a smooth ball, cover, and allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 450˚F (230˚C). Place one oven rack in the center of the oven and another at the bottom of the oven. Place a baking dish on the bottom oven rack. Line three baking sheets with parchment.
• Place one ball of dough on the parchment-lined baking sheet and press or roll into an oval shape about 12 inches (30.5 centimeters) and 8 inches (20 centimeters) wide.
• Use a dough scraper or sharp knife to make upward diagonal cuts about 1-2 inches (2.5-5 centimeters) apart across each side of the dough to create a wheat or leaf shape.
• Use your hands to spread out the cuts, making the bottom of the bread wider than the top.
• Repeat with the other two pieces of dough to make 3 loaves in all.
• Cover each prepared bread with a towel and let rise at room temperature until puffy, about 20 minutes.
• Place one or two handfuls of ice in the baking dish on the bottom rack of the oven, immediately place one or two of the baking sheets on the center racks, and close the oven door.
• Bake the bread until golden, about 20 minutes. Repeat with the other loaves, adding more ice to the bottom pan if needed.
• The Fougasse aux Herbes de Provence is best shortly after baking and within a day.