Fougasse

I've got a recipe for fougasse already, it was posted about a year ago but this isn't a reiteration, it's the real thing. I reread my recipe, including the strange combo of rosemary and parmesan, and not only was the bread merely white bread cut into a leaf shape, I didn't actually mention anywhere adding the titular rosemary or parmesan.
A real fougasse is a grainy and strongly flavoured concoction from sun-scorched south of France- they really are keen on bread shaped like plants down there (take Pain D'epi, a stick of white bread cut into a stalk of wheat) and this particular loaf is cut into a huge leaf. Well at least it should be; my version is cut into a clumsy bulbous tropical variety, and this could be construed as not a fougasse as I don't make holes that join at the edge, but that's okay, because it's homemade.
The key to such a flavoursome and well-keeping crust is in the sponge, or poolish as the French call it. Consider this a pre-ferment that you need to start long before the first prove; I just make it up the night before and let it bubble up in the fridge overnight. The longer you leave it, the better the flavour and longer the bread will last before staling.
Before you consider making this, I strongly recommend you invest in a scraper- they're cheap as chips and a plastic one is fine, although I have a metal one. They're invaluable in kneading the sticky dough and cutting the attractive leaf shape. This advice and inspiration for this recipe came by youtube's The Bread Kitchen, and I'm very grateful for it.

For the sponge/poolish: 150g strong white bread flour (this is a rough cup measure if you're that way inclined)
200ml water (cold tap water is fine)
1 x 7g sachet active dried yeast

500ml water
10g table salt
500g strong white bread flour
150g Rye flour (or use another 150g bread flour if preferred)
200g mixed marinated olives (you can buy them like this, but otherwise you could buy regular olives and marinate them in extra virgin olive oil and some herbs of your choice)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Prepare the sponge the night before, or at least 2 hours before mixing the rest of the dough. Mix all the ingredients together well then cover with lightly oiled clingfilm and leave to prove in the fridge overnight, or at room temperature for the 2 hours. When it's ready it will be hugely bubbled up with intricate webs and tunnels, rather like a bread beehive. Without the bother of letting the poolish come back to room temperature, stir in the 500ml water until relatively smooth (hands are a great tool) and then add the salt and flours and mix until all flour is absorbed and you have an incredibly sticky dough. Generously flour the work surface and begin kneading this monster. Your best ally is your scraper, use it to scrape the dough from the surface and gather the dough together and keep kneading until it gets really stretchy and smooth. Bare in mind it will seem that the dough isn't smooth, but the straggly bits are an illusion created by the dough sticking to your hands. Every now and then, leave the dough on a film of flour and wipe your hands clean, that way you can feel that the dough is becoming smoother and not just a mess. A great kneading technique here is the slap and roll: slap the dough down aggressively onto the worktop then fold it over itself, and use the two ends that you hold on to to slap the dough again and repeat. After about 10 minutes, the dough should be ready.
Carefully knead and fold in your olives, they will get properly incorporated (trust me), then oil the mixing bowl and dough and leave to prove for a good 2 hours. The rye, the olives and the fact that the dough is built upon a sponge means that this takes a bit longer than normal bread to rise. Once the dough has doubled in size, punch and pummel it down and turn it out onto a well floured worktop. This makes two loaves, but you could stretch this to three easily. Divide the dough accordingly then transfer each lump to its floured baking sheet. Using a rolling pin or just your hands, flatten it really well to about an inch thickness  (no rulers please). Using your scraper again, cut a great central furrow and open it up and then on each side cut open more holes, until you end up with a big palm leaf shape. Repeat for the other loaf.
Wrap the two up in oiled clingfilm and leave to prove for another 40 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees fan then place your two loaves in and bake for about 20 minutes, until golden and makes a hollow sound when rapped. Brush the loaves with the olive oil and then leave them to cool. If you have any hooks in your kitchen, hang them proudly up.