Faluches are a type of bread from the region along the border of France and Belgium. They are not very well known, and most Belgians might not recognize them. They have a soft texture, a pale color and a mild flavor that makes them easy to pair with almost anything. My mom was born and raised there until she was 20 and brought the recipe with her when she moved to Switzerland. Baking them was her way of keeping a piece of home close, even when she was far from the places and people she knew.

When my brother and I started school, she turned faluches into a small family tradition. She baked them before every field trip and used them to make our sandwiches, filling them with simple ingredients like cheese, ham, eggs, or mustard. My classmates had never seen anything like them, and I liked explaining what they were. Sharing pieces with friends made those field trips feel even more special, and having them with me always felt comforting.

Especially after we moved to the United States, the smell of a faluche fresh out of the oven reminded me of home and those picnic-filled school days. In the middle of so many changes, the smell stayed the same. Faluches are simple, versatile bread that goes with everything and carries a little piece of family wherever it goes.

Ingredients (for 10 faluches): 

• 500 grams of flour (1.1 lb) 
• 8 grams of active dry yeast
• 150 ml of water
• 150 ml of soy milk
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

Instructions:

1. Mix the dry ingredients together (flour, active dry yeast, salt)
2. Mix the wet ingredients separately (water, soy milk, olive oil)
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients 
4. Knead the ingredients until you obtain a smooth dough (by hand or with a food processor)
5. Let the dough rise (minimum an hour, has to double in size)
6. Make ten equal dough balls
7. Flatten the balls with a rolling pin (more than one cm thick) 
8. Brush them with olive oil and sprinkle with flour 
9. Cook for 18 minutes at 320 F degrees