French · Breads & baking

Herbed Provençal flatbread (Fougasse)

Name: Herbed Provençal flatbread (Fougasse)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 3 h 20 min
Yield: 2 flatbreads
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 3 1/2 cups (420 grams) bread flour; 1 1/4 cups (300 grams) lukewarm water; 2 teaspoons instant yeast; 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt; 1 teaspoon honey; 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary; 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves; 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt

Two leaf-shaped olive-oil flatbreads with crisp edges, chewy centers, rosemary, thyme, and flaky salt.

About 3 hr 20 minTotal

About 50 minActive

$Cost

ModerateDifficulty

Makes 2 flatbreads

Equipment

Bench scraper or pizza wheel
A similarly sized 13 × 18-inch rimmed pan works; smaller pans make a thicker pizza.
Best starting point
Nordic Ware Naturals Half Sheet · 43100
View at Amazon
Another workable path: A similarly sized 13 × 18-inch rimmed pan works; smaller pans make a thicker pizza.
Paid links. As an Amazon Associate, Kwilt earns from qualifying purchases.
How we chose
Research-backed · reviewed Aug 2026
We compared exact half-sheet geometry, uncoated material, reinforced construction, heat limit, care, stable model identity, and the exact Amazon destination. Manufacturer specifications establish model 43100 and its UPC, while America's Test Kitchen reports comparative cooking and handling results. Kwilt has not baked with this pan.
Nordic Ware Naturals Half Sheet · 43100: Its 13-by-18-inch footprint gives this soft dough the intended thickness, and the uncoated aluminum supports browning on the oiled bottom. Trade-off: Hand washing is recommended, and acidic tomato left on uncoated aluminum can discolor or pit the surface over time.
Another workable path: Use another rimmed half sheet only if its outside dimensions are close to 13 by 18 inches. A smaller pan makes a thicker pizza and needs its own bake adjustment.
Sources
Nordic Ware product details
America's Test Kitchen result
Nordic Ware model and UPC registry
Amazon exact product listing

Ingredients

1× recipe · Makes 2 flatbreads

3 1/2 cups (420 grams) bread flour
1 1/4 cups (300 grams) lukewarm water
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 teaspoon honey
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt

Instructions

Stir bread flour, water, yeast, fine salt, honey, and 2 tablespoons olive oil into a shaggy dough. Rest 15 minutes, then knead by hand for 6 to 8 minutes until smooth and tacky, or mix 5 minutes with a dough hook.
Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and rise 60 to 90 minutes until doubled. Divide in half and set each piece on its own parchment sheet. Pat into a broad oval about 10 inches long; rest 10 minutes if the dough springs back.
Use a bench scraper or pizza wheel to cut one long slit down the center without reaching the ends, then three diagonal slits on each side to suggest a leaf. Gently pull every opening 1 to 2 inches wide because narrow cuts close during proofing. Cover and proof 30 to 40 minutes until puffy.
Heat oven to 450°F with inside, or bake one flatbread at a time. Brush with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and scatter rosemary, thyme, and flaky salt, pressing the herbs lightly into the surface so they do not burn.
Slide each parchment and flatbread onto a hot pan. Bake 16 to 21 minutes, rotating once, until the thin edges are crisp and the thicker center is deeply golden and at least 200°F. Cool 15 minutes and tear at the table; warm leftovers at 375°F to restore the edges.

FranceProvence, France

From the table

About this recipe

Fougasse is a Provençal flatbread in the wider Mediterranean family of hearth breads. Its leaf or wheat-sheaf cuts are functional as well as decorative, creating crisp edges around a tender olive-oil dough.

Fougasse is a Provençal flatbread related to other Mediterranean hearth breads and is often cut into a wheat-sheaf or leaf pattern. The French name belongs in the story, while the catalog title first explains what someone will actually eat: a fragrant, olive-oil-rich flatbread with crisp cut edges for sharing with soup, salad, cheese, or dinner. This Kwilt version follows the reviewed household adaptation: Lead with the familiar flatbread description, keep the Provençal name and leaf story on the detail page, and use a same-day olive-oil dough with restrained herbs so appearance does not create hidden culinary complexity.

Sources

Dinner does not stop at the recipe