Pita Bread
Making your own Pita Bread (aka pocket bread) at home is simple and easy with my yeast-leavened Pita Bread recipe. Whether you use them to stuff with falafels or your favourite cold meats for a quick lunch, dunk into dips or stews or enjoy on their own they definitely surpass any store bought version.
Ingredients
- 90g milk, lukewarm
- 90g water, lukewarm
- 1⁄2 teaspoon caster sugar
- 7g sachet dry yeast or 2 teaspoons
- 250g plain flour or bread flour
- 50g wholemeal flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Place the milk, water and sugar into a jug or small bowl. Add the yeast and stir to combine. Allow to sit for 10 minutes to "bloom" or until mixture is foamy.
- Combine flours and salt in a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer and make a well in the centre. Add the yeast mixture and oil, then mix to form a shaggy dough.
- If using a stand mixer, attach your dough hook and knead on low speed for 5-6 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic or if kneading by hand, knead for 8-10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Place dough ball into a large, lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place and allow it to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Lightly dust your work surface with flour. Knock the air out of the dough and divide dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll each into a ball and keep covered with a clean tea towel.
- Lightly flour your work surface then working with one dough ball at a time, flatten it out with the palm of your hand. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough in a circular motion to approximately 15cm in diameter. Set aside and allow to rise to rise again for 20-30 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough balls.
- While dough is resting, preheat your oven with a pizza stone or baking steel to the highest temperature it will go. If you have neither of these, you can use a flat oven tray upside down instead.
- Working with one pita bread at a time, transfer to the stone or tray in the oven and cook for approximately 3-5 minutes or until the bread has puffed up and is lightly golden in colour. (See Notes). Carefully remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack or clean tea towel. Cover to keep warm if desired. Repeat process with remaining 5 pita breads. Serve.
Notes
- MEASUREMENTS
We use Australian metric measurements. 1 teaspoon = 5ml, 1 tablespoon = 20ml and 1 cup = 250ml
We use free range extra large size eggs. Each egg weighs approximately 59g. - COOKING THE PITAS
You need to make sure you preheat your oven with the stone, steel or baking tray inside of it at the highest temp it will go. This is usually around the 230C-250C mark.
You can cook more pitas at once if desired but as they don't take long to cook, I find working with one a time easier and less chance to overcook them. I find also, they puff up quicker and brown more evenly cooking one a time. - MAKE AHEAD OR FREEZE
These are perfect to make ahead and they also freeze very well. Although best made the day they are cooked they can be kept for 3 days in an airtight container or in a plastic bag at room temperature.
To freeze, once cool, place into a zip-lock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on the bench before use and reheat as desired.