Olive Ladder Bread (Fougasse) - Part 1

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05

Title: Olive Ladder Bread (Fougasse) - Part 1
Categories: Breads
Yield: 4 Loaves

2 1/2 c Lukewarm water
1 ts Dry yeast
6 -7 c unbleached all purpose
-flour
2 tb Olive oil plus extra for
-oiling surfaces
2 ts Salt
1 1/2 c Black olives (Nyons or
-Kalamata); pit, chop
1/4 c Buckwheat flour

You will need a large bread bowl, four 10- by 15-" or larger baking sheets
that will fit in pairs side-by-side in your oven, a sharp knife or razor
blade, and a pastry brush. Place water in a large bowl, sprinkle on yeast,
then stir in 2 1/2 c of the all purpose flour. Stir 100 times in the same
direction (one minute) to develop the gluten, then leave this sponge
covered with plastic wrap for 30 minutes or up to two hours.Stir in olive
oil, salt, olives, and buckwheat flour. Mix in remaining flour, a cup at a
time, stirring always in the same direction, until dough becomes too stiff
to stir. Turn dough out onto a well floured working surface. Using floured
hands, knead gently until the dough has an even consistency (apart from the
olives), then knead 5 minutes longer. Clean bread bowl, oil it lightly,
place dough in the bowl, then cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 2 to 3
hours. It will have almost doubled in volume. Oil two 10x15" (or larger)
baking sheets. Flatten dough down gently with your hands, then turn out
onto floured working surface. Continued in Part 2.

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