No-Knead Fougasse

Puffy, oil-rich focaccia gets a lot of love from home bakers for good reason. But its leaf-shaped French cousin fougasse (pronounced FOO-gehs-uh) is every bit as delicious, just as easy to bake, and—dare we say it—even more impressive.

You can use instant yeast or active-dry in this bread recipe, which means you can bake it no matter which you keep on hand. (When we tested them side by side, the fougasse made with instant yeast showed off a slightly loftier rise.) The fougasse dough comes together in one bowl, and the only equipment you’ll need is a spatula and a bench scraper. However, you will need some time: The dough proofs for about 2 hours and requires some babysitting. Periodically stretching and folding the dough builds up the gluten network, resulting in a chewy, open crumb. You’ll have just enough time between folds to top off your mug of herbal tea and get through a few chapters of that book you’re reading.

Similar to homemade pizza dough, this bread dough is meant to be wet; the high hydration results in an airy loaf. Resist the urge to add more flour and instead keep a small bowl filled with water nearby to keep your hands moist enough to handle the dough without sticking. The most important step in baking fougasse is shaping: Use a bowl scraper or a sharp knife to slash the dough, giving it its signature leaf-like pattern. Gently stretch the dough around each cut to ensure it holds its shape in the oven.