Pompe à l’Huile

I made this bread because I am going to Paris! Yes, April in Paris—I can’t wait!  

Truth be told, I am going to have to wait, the plans are not until April 2012. But nothing can put a damper on my elation, not even the prospect of neurotically spending the next twelve months packing and re-packing.

My acceptance of this generous offer has been a long time coming. I have had a standing invitation for nearly a decade and this year I decided to stop breaking my dearest friend’s heart. (Although quite honestly, I think my mettle suffered the most damage.)

This year, I raised my glass and say…Oui, Noëlle! Oui! (and a little Merci beacoup mon amie! for good measure).

In honor of Paris and Noëlle, I am baking a bread is very French and very decadent. It is primarily made on special occasions and holidays. The prospect of Paris finally becoming the reality of Paris is cause for celebration in my happy kitchen.

The amount of olive oil in this bread is amazing. The sugar enhances the taste, so that it is subtly sweet and surprisingly rich like brioche. There is something clever, seductive and distinctive in using oil as opposed to butter. I found it to be sturdy, earthy and dense, while still exceptionally luxurious.

I am slightly intimidated about getting lost in the City of Light, but long ago I learned that daunting never defeats delicious. And I intend to devour that country just like this incredible bread! Vive la France! 

 The star of our bread, extra-virgin olive oil.

 The supporting cast, yeast and sugar. 

We begin with a puddle of perfect Poolish. 

Dry ingredients.

 Meet wet ingredients.

A lot of olive oil and it is some seriously gooey gorgeous glop.

 I think the texture is terrific.

The dough is dense and practically glows with the olive oil.

 I am excited to shape it. 

Gather your dough and roll it out.

Cut slits with a sharp knife to make beautiful shapes. 

Sand dollars or butterflies are traditional.

Gently open the cuts with your fingers to maintain the design.

Bake until beautifully browned.

The final product!

Pompe à l’Huile
Provençal Sweet Olive Oil Bread

(Recipe adapted from Saveur, Bread Baking Day #22: Sweet Breads hosted by Hefe und Mehr
Yeastspotting at Wild Yeast Blog)
Makes one 12-inch flatbread

Notes:
You’ll need exactly one 1/4 ounce sachet of instant yeast. Take a small pinch out for the poolish and reserve the rest for the final dough.

Other recipes for pompe à l’huile call for some combination ofanise seeds, orange flower water, and orange zest. These additional ingredients are also common in Gibassier, a close sugar-topped relative.

To make the Poolish you will need the following ingredients:

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup water
Jjust a pinch of instant yeast (approximately 1/16 tsp) 

Poolish Directions:
Pour the water over the yeast and stir to dissolve. Add the flour and mix until thoroughly hydrated.
Cover and and let stand at room temperature for 14 to 16 hours.

To make the Final Dough you will need the following ingredients:
Poolish
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp granulated sugar
2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp salt

Final Dough Directions:

Mix in a large bowl, mix together the poolish, flour, sugar and yeast, just until the flour is thoroughly hydrated and a shaggy ball of dough is formed.

Gradually add the olive oil a few tablespoons at a time, mixing to incorporation with each addition.

Knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. It will be very slippery because of the olive oil.

Bulk Ferment for 2.5 to 3 hours at room temperature. 

Begin preheating your oven to 400ºF / 205ºC towards the end of bulk fermentation.

Prepare a half-sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

To shape roll out the dough into a 12-inch circle. Using a knife, cut 5 slits in the center of the flattened dough to resemble a sand dollar (or make up your own pattern). Stretch out the holes using your fingertips to keep them from closing.

Bake for 15 minutes at 400ºF / 205ºC, until well-browned around the edges.

To cool transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely at room temperature.