Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you go
Makes 12 pitas or 24 minis
- 1 kg (8 cups) sifted all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- 12 g (4 tsp) active dry yeast or 25 g (1 oz) fresh yeast
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- 600 ml (2½ cups) barely lukewarm water
- 25 g (1 Tbsp) salt
- 60 ml (4 Tbsp) olive oil
Since we moved to the land of milk and honey, the baguette has largely been replaced by the pita bread you find everywhere here. These delicious bread pockets are wonderful cut in half crosswise and stuffed with hummus or vegetarian fritters like falafel or my delicious red lentil balls. Pita is a very easy bread to make.
In a small bowl, combine the yeast, water and sugar. Let it sit for a few moments, until the mixture gets foamy.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, pour in the flour, then add the yeast mixture, the oil and the salt.
Knead for 8 to 10 minutes (a good knead develops the gluten and improves the texture), then cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let rest in a warm spot for 1½ hours or until the dough has doubled in volume.
Divide the dough into 12 pieces (140 g each, or 70 g each for minis), shape each into a ball, roll out (about 0.5 cm / ¼ inch thick, no thinner if you want a soft pita), set on a lightly floured work surface, cover with the towel and let rise for about 30 minutes or until puffy.
- Preheat the oven to 250°C (480°F) on conventional heat (not fan, or use the pizza setting) at least 10 minutes before baking, with the drip pan (baking tray) in the middle of the oven turned upside down (that is, raised side facing up). Arrange the breads well spaced out on the pan (without burning yourself).
- Bake in the middle of the oven for about 5 minutes (I bake them 6 at a time); they will puff up with air and barely turn golden. As soon as they come out of the oven, wrap them in a thick kitchen towel so they keep their moisture and stay soft. Once cooled, place them in a bag or airtight container. Eat them soon or freeze them for another time. Just warm them up briefly in the oven.
Tips and planning
For them to puff up and form an air pocket, your oven must be very hot, so preheat for a good while before baking. If you’re worried it won’t work, you can do as for naan, cooking the pitas in a very hot skillet.
For whole wheat pita, mix 700 g (5½ cups) whole wheat flour with 300 g (2⅓ cups) white flour.
You can make the dough the day before and keep it in the fridge, doing only the final rise the next day.
If you like flatbreads, you should love the garlic and cilantro naan !
Garlic and cilantro naan
Click on the picture for the recipe