Pompe à l’Huile – Sweet Olive Oil Bread
The name pompe à l’huile is an indication of how this Provençal specialty is made: dough pumped full of oil. Might as well be proactive and drown the bread in extra-virgin olive oil ahead of time if you’re going to do it anyway.
Saveur describes it as a cross between a focaccia, because it is shaped into a round flatbread, and a brioche. I can’t see how pompe à l’huile is similar to a brioche, though. Sure, it has high fat content, but there are no milk, eggs, or butter in it.
All overthinking pedantic musings aside, what we have here is a flaky flatbread in a class all its own. I tweaked the original recipe by giving the poolish a 16-hour headstart, instead of 30 minutes, for that extra hint of complexity that can only come from slow fermentation. It’s how bread geeks do.
recipe adapted from Saveur
Bread Baking Day #22: Sweet Breads hosted by Hefe und Mehr
Yeastspotting at Wild Yeast Blog
Pompe à l’Huile
Provençal Sweet Olive Oil Bread
makes one 12-inch flatbread
Notes:
- You’ll need exactly one 1/4 ounce / 7 gram 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 of anise seeds, orange flower water, and orange zest. These additional ingredients are also common in Gibassier, a close sugar-topped relative.
For the Poolish:
| Ingredients | Volume | Ounces | Grams |
|---|---|---|---|
| unbleached all-purpose flour | 1 3/4 cups | 8.0 | 227 |
| water | 1 cup | 8.0 | 227 |
| instant yeast | a pinch (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.
For the Final Dough:
| Ingredients | Volume | Ounces | Grams |
|---|---|---|---|
| all of the poolish | |||
| unbleached all-purpose flour | 2 cups | 8.8 | 250 |
| granulated sugar | 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp | 2.8 | 80 |
| instant yeast | 2 1/4 tsp | .25 | 7 |
| extra-virgin olive oil | 3/4 cup | 5.7 | 162 |
| salt | 2 tsp | 0.4 | 12 |
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. 2 1/2 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.
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.
Cool. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely at room temperature.
Sweet, tender, and flaky, kind of like a brioche. Now I get it.
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July 28th, 2009 at 1:29 am
Is this the same as Fougasse? I’ve had the version that’s topped with sugar. Tried to make it once based on a well-known baker’s recipe, but it came out horrible. Perhaps the secret is in giving the poolish 16 hours.
July 28th, 2009 at 5:41 am
What a pretty Pompe! That bread is perfect for the summertime… Lovely!
Cheers,
Rosa
July 28th, 2009 at 6:13 am
A bread soaked in olive oil is something I could get into.
But, I agree, though I’m just looking at the texture, this bread doesn’t seem similar to brioche.
July 28th, 2009 at 6:20 am
I think I found a new favorite word… poolish. How many times did you type that and did not laugh?
Once again, you are a spectacular bread baker/geek. I love your thought process on fermentation, and if you ever venture into making beer, I’m sure you’ll be successful.
July 28th, 2009 at 7:14 am
It has such a beautiful shape
July 28th, 2009 at 7:23 am
The overnight/next day poolish and sponges are so worth it. Very tasty, carmelized color on that bread… mmmm
July 28th, 2009 at 8:23 am
That is one gorgeous bread – I must try it!
July 28th, 2009 at 8:59 am
Sounds delicious, and love the shape too.
July 28th, 2009 at 10:10 am
Interesting. I love focaccia and brioche too but my vegetarian husband find brioche to be to egg-y. I checked, there is no egg in your recipe, I’ll definitely give this a try. thanks for sharing
July 28th, 2009 at 10:12 am
Oh! It’s a sweet enriched bread! Those are my FAVORITE kinds. And it came from a magazine, too! Awesome.
(Maybe I can get away with never making a brioche now, heh.)
July 28th, 2009 at 10:19 am
and i quote…”dough pumped full of oil.” that’s all you had to say.
love the unique shape–masterfully-done, jude!
July 28th, 2009 at 10:36 am
Looks similar to fougasse which I’ve been wanting to try! The longer ferment sounds like a great idea.
July 28th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
i would say didactic rather than pedantic.
July 28th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
looks luscious as always. A treat both from a culinary and artistic standpoint.
July 28th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
I think this might be the most flavorful idea for bread of all time! Plus, your presentation is shockingly lovely!!!!!! Why did you have to post this now when I’m desperately trying to fit into a wedding gown? Ha!
July 28th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
Brioche-like texture without eggs and butter? I’m there! You’ve really got to quit tempting me with all these breads – I’m already up to my eyeballs with the bread baker’s apprentice bit, and now I’ve got another I have to make.
July 28th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
A mix of brioche and focaccia? How interesting. And of course tasty.
July 28th, 2009 at 9:13 pm
Is this leaf shaped? It’s so beautiful. Wish I can sink my teeth into it =D~
July 29th, 2009 at 1:31 am
you got me at hinting that this was like brioche…
Looks great – how did you eat it? I’m thinking a cured pork product
July 29th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
What a lovely shape, just perfect to enjoy on a picnic at the beach. This must be tasty as well, a foccacia & brioche combined! Yum.
July 30th, 2009 at 1:18 am
Oh you bread geek you
Oh wait, I’m one too. Dangit. Gorgeous bread!
July 30th, 2009 at 2:34 am
MMMMMMMMMMM,…the bread looks georgous & I want a slice of it right now,….
July 31st, 2009 at 1:03 am
[...] Pompe à l’Huile – Sweet Olive Oil Bread [...]
July 31st, 2009 at 8:04 am
Beautiful job, Jude. I like that you delayed the fermentation to increase the flavor. Since I am an olive oil fanatic, yet another recipe on your blog that I’m bookmarking!
July 31st, 2009 at 10:42 am
That is simply a gorgeous bread
July 31st, 2009 at 11:31 am
The pattern makes it look so beautiful. I really like the idea of achieving a brioche-like texture without eggs.
July 31st, 2009 at 6:15 pm
Bread geeks unite! I’ve never seen this bread and it looks and sounds amazing.
August 2nd, 2009 at 4:57 am
I never heard about this bread before, but it sounds extraordinary good!
August 2nd, 2009 at 5:20 am
[...] Pompe à l’Huile – Sweet Olive Oil Bread [...]
August 2nd, 2009 at 12:29 pm
So much love (and olive oil) put into this beautful bread. I’m trying imagine how a combo of brioche and focaccia in a bread would taste and feel on the palate, not to mention the extra fermentation time, and no doubt it’s amazing! Another bookmark for me
Great and incredibly creative BBD #22 entry!
August 3rd, 2009 at 8:53 am
It really is pumped with olive oil, delicious! And pretty too
August 3rd, 2009 at 12:06 pm
wow, that sure is a lot of olive oil. I have never baked a sweet olive oil based cake or bread before. Very interesting, and the design is so pretty.
August 3rd, 2009 at 7:17 pm
Jude- I love that you are a bread geek! I love this bread. I will try it. My husband douses his bread in olive oil on a daily basis. I am thinking he would LOVE this bread.
August 7th, 2009 at 8:15 am
As I read this, I was trying to imagine the taste and texture. The mentions of ‘fougasse’ helped a lot as I have indeed tried that before. This looks so beautiful; “sweet, tender, and flaky” – I can almost taste it . . .!
August 15th, 2009 at 5:38 am
Looks delicious and quite unique.
August 19th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
You have such a way with bread Jude…perhaps it’s the patience you have to give it a “16 hour head start…”? Looks scrumptious!
August 22nd, 2009 at 3:30 pm
“It’s how bread geeks do”. Very nice!
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:52 pm
Did you go somewhere?
How come no new blog posts? You’re one of my favorites.
January 1st, 2010 at 6:25 pm
Lovely bread with touch of sweetness.Long time no posts.Hope all is well
January 21st, 2010 at 12:30 pm
i think that this is my favorite bread ever.
one thing, though: the salt is listed as an ingredient, but it isn’t included in the directions. my mom and i made this bread on separate occasions, and we both almost neglected to salt it.
January 31st, 2010 at 6:30 am
This looks delicious! Thanks for sharing
February 8th, 2010 at 5:01 pm
This looks so delish and instead of using AP flour – I would love it with Kamut khorasan wheat flour…mmmm! I can taste it already! Thanks for sharing
March 4th, 2010 at 10:32 pm
Well,
It’s almost midnight & I’m thinking about baking bread…
which means that I would be eating fresh, hot bread at 5am.
Then going to sleep…sounds like a good thing, but I think
that I will wait.
April 5th, 2010 at 10:27 pm
This looks so good! I bet guests would be taken aback by how gorgeous this is and I can imagine, just as delicious!
May 17th, 2010 at 11:47 pm
Bread is my love! But i cannot make it by myself.
May 31st, 2010 at 2:35 pm
I made three loaves of this bread yesterday and they looked just like the photo! Just remember to fold the salt into the poolish along with the other dry ingredients (I think that was an oversight). The name translates to “oil pump” – and I wonder if that’s because while it’s in the first hour of the fermentation stage it leaches the oil you kneaded into the dough and then pulls it back in during the second hour? Just a guess. Another theory is that this loaf is a vehicle for oil. This is a wonderful bread for any celebration – make several loaves if you’re having a large gathering. Children love it!
June 3rd, 2010 at 12:48 am
Denise Jones from Newf In My Soup blogged about my first attempt at this recipe: http://newfinmysoup.blogspot.com/2010/06/coronado-concerts-in-park-kicks-off.html
June 8th, 2010 at 1:25 am
Very very ineresting… reminds me of a bread that I used to eat in Italy when I was visiting my nonna… the top had coarse salt added and we used to fill it with all the necessary goodies -of course after it was ready- mozzarella, tomato etc
August 8th, 2010 at 5:24 pm
This sounds interesting to me. Every time I have used olive oil in baking it has turned out kind of dry though.
December 10th, 2010 at 6:42 pm
Considering this was only my second attempt at making bread (the first being some awful naan), the end result is spectacular! I woke up late, which is why my poolish fermented a bit more than 16 hours and the final dough wasn’t as smooth, but rather puffed and puckered up, not to mention highly absorbent! It sucked all the olive oil right up. I think a touch of orange zest and anise or maybe even fennel seeds would’ve been fantastic too – highly reminiscent of olive oil tortas, but so much better. I love baking with olive oil. The possibilities are numerous and deeeeelicious!
December 15th, 2010 at 7:04 am
[...] Pompe à l’huile – sweet cake made with orange flower water and, for some reason, olive oil. Oh right, that reason is the Mediterranean. [...]
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November 2nd, 2011 at 8:27 am
[...] focaccia but looked around for some possible other olive oil recipes to use and found this one for Pompe à l’Huile and make hybrid mixture of the two; that is to say I used more of the ingredient make up of the [...]
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November 26th, 2011 at 11:30 am
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