Focaccia
Works in the UK and the US. This version uses US words and measures (stove, cups, °F); the UK version uses hob, grams and gas marks. · UK version of this page
Italian olive-oil bread with dimpled tops and crispy edges – a wet dough you stretch and fold instead of kneading.
- Serves 8
- About 2 hr 30 min
- Oven
- Best for: Grades 2–5 (ages 7–11)
- Vegan
Ingredients
- 400 g (about 3¼ cups) bread flour – contains wheat or gluten
- 7 g instant yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 320 ml (about 1¼ cups) hand-warm water
- 5 tbsp olive oil, split: 2 in the dough, 3 for the tin and top
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning or oregano, dried rosemary or mixed herbs
- 8 cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)
Cup measures are approximate – weighing is more accurate. Need a different amount? Use the recipe finder to change the servings.
Equipment
- kitchen scale
- liquid measuring cup
- large mixing bowl
- spatula
- clean dish towel
- baking pan (about 9 x 13 inch)
- oven mitts
- cooling rack
Safety first
- Wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds, tie back long hair and put on a clean apron.
- Ask about allergies before anyone cooks or tastes. This recipe contains: wheat or gluten.
- Do not eat raw dough or cake mixture – raw flour and raw egg can carry harmful bacteria.
- Use dry oven mitts for anything that has been in the oven or under the broiler.
Allergens: Wheat (and other grains with gluten). Always read every label and ask about allergies before anyone cooks or tastes.
Method
- Mix the flour, yeast and salt, then stir in the warm water and 2 tablespoons of oil to make a very soft, sticky dough. Do not add more flour – the wet dough gives focaccia its big holes.
- Every 15 minutes for an hour, wet your hand and stretch one side of the dough up and fold it over the top; turn the bowl and repeat 4 times. This builds gluten without kneading. (1 hr)
- Pour 2 tablespoons of oil into the pan, tip in the dough and gently stretch it towards the corners. Cover and leave to rise until puffy. (30 min)
- Teacher-led: Turn the oven on to 425 °F (220 °C).
- Oil your fingertips and press deep dimples all over the dough, right to the bottom. Drizzle with the last of the oil, sprinkle with herbs and press in the tomatoes if using. (Younger children: Press dimples all over the dough with oily fingertips – this is the fun part.)
- Teacher-led: Bake until golden and crisp at the edges. (25 min)
- An adult lifts it onto the rack with a spatula. Cool for 10 minutes and tear or cut into squares. (10 min)
What this recipe teaches
Mixing, Kneading and shaping dough, Proving dough, Using an oven safely, Shaping and rolling, Presenting food. Steps marked “Adult” are always done by an adult; steps marked “Teacher-led” are done by an adult for primary-age children.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 258 |
|---|---|
| Total fat | 9.3 g |
| Saturated fat | 1.3 g |
| Sodium | 292 mg |
| Total carbohydrate | 36.7 g |
| Dietary fiber | 1.5 g |
| Total sugars | 0.2 g |
| Protein | 6.4 g |
Worked out from the raw ingredients (optional ones and pinches not counted) using USDA FoodData Central – SR Legacy (SR28, 2018). Brands vary – check labels.
MyPlate food groups in this recipe: Grains. Learn about MyPlate.
Curriculum links
- FCS 14.3: “Demonstrate ability to acquire, handle, and use foods to meet nutrition and wellness needs of individuals and families across the life span.”
- FCS 14.4: “Evaluate factors that affect food safety from production through consumption.”
Try the interactive lesson
Step by step: a quick safety check, questions graded by Classfern, timers for each cooking step, then an honest look at how it went – a teacher or parent judges the cooking, and learners rate their own work. Photos of the finished dish stay at home.
Use the code your teacher gave you – never your name. Progress is kept on this device.