I have been recruited by a friend to try and recreate the bread of her youth. I know this may be an impossible task, but I am excited to try and do the best that I can. She spent her childhood in the Provence region of France and the bread is an olive fougasse. I have decided to use Hamelman's olive levain formula, but based on her description, I decided to use the ratio of olives given in his olive fougasse. After much searching, I have found Nicoise olives imported from the region and I think I am about ready to bake. My question is what type of flour would best recreate what a small boulangerie in Provence might have used 20 years ago?
Thanks for any suggestions,
Alan
Much of the flour used in Europen countries is lower in gluten ....
http://www.cyber-kitchen.com/recipes/French_Bread.htm
You might find that mixing cake flour with your bread flour (ratio?) would improve the outcome.