Pompe a L'Huile Recipe

1. 1. Make a poolish: Put 1 1/2 cups of the flour with the sugar, yeast and 1 cup warm water into a large bowl and stir well with a wooden spoon to combine. Let the mixture sit in a warm spot until bubbly, about 30 minutes.
   
   
2. 2. Add remaining flour, 3/4 cup oil, and salt to the poolish and stir until a dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 5 to 7 minutes. Grease a large clean bowl with the remaining oil, place dough in the bottom, and cover with a clean towel. Set the dough aside in a warm spot to let rise until doubled in bulk, 3 to 4 hours.
   
   
3. 3. Preheat oven to 400. Gently turn dough out onto a large sheet of parchment paper and gently stretch it with your gingers to form a 12-inch circle. Using a small, sharp knife, cut out five 2-inch-long slits, each about 1 inch wide, starting from the cwenter of the bread and cutting toward the edge. so that the dough will resemble a sand dollar (discard dough scraps or bake them separately as a cook's-bonus nibble). Using your fingers, gently stretch the holes open a little wider so that they won't close up completely when bread is baked. Carefully transfer the dough -- on the parchment paper -- to a large baking sheet and bake until golden brown and puffed, about 15 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven and immediately brush the top and sides with 2 tablespoons hot water to soften the crust. Transfer the bread to a rack to let cool, or serve warm, if you like.
   
   
4. 4. Remember to tear the bread into pieces -- tradition says that cutting it might sever your friendship with the people at the table.)
   
   

Legend

Fat
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Alcohol
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Calorie Breakdown (?)

Daily Values (?)

Nutritional Analysis

Nutrition Grade 96% confidence

Good points No cholesterol