Fresh Hot Wonderful Pitas!
As I’m writing this up, I can’t help but hear voices from that British baking show saying “pit-as" rather than “peetas”. I’m sure we are the ones butchering it but no matter how you say it, pitas made fresh and hot and paired with a nice hummus can’t be beat. Sadly, in my neck of the woods they are hard to come by so I did what I usually do when I can’t find just what I’m looking for, I make it! I have made pitas just a couple of times before and I found the dough fairly simple and watching the dough puff up in the hot oven very satisfying, like a successful experiment! You have to give it a try!
Ingredients
2 Teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour (gives it some texture)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
First, make your sponge (always the first step of any wonderful yeast bread). Put 1 cup of lukewarm water in a bowl with your yeast and sugar. Stir to dissolve, add the 1/4 cup of wheat flour, whisk together lightly and then put the bowl in a warm place uncovered until you have a nice bubbly mixture (about 10 minutes).
Next, add your salt, olive oil and almost all of the all-purpose flour. Stir with a wooden spoon until you have a rough, shaggy dough. Then with your reserved flour, knead the dough about a minute or two until it comes together. Then move it to a flat surface and knead until smooth (all together you’ll knead the dough for about 5 minutes). Let the dough rest for 10-15 minutes and knead again only using as much flour as you need to keep it from sticking to your hands.
Now, put your dough in a clean mixing bowl and cover it with plastic wrap and a towel. Put it in a warm place and let it rise until doubled, or about an hour. If you have a proving setting on your oven, this would be a great time to use it.
After about 45 minutes, go ahead and get your oven heating, we need it pretty hot! Crank it up to 475 degrees. On the bottom shelf (close to the heat), place a heavy baking pan (must be heavy otherwise it will warp and burn the pitas), or my favorite a pizza stone.
Punch down the dough and split into 8 equal pieces. Make a little ball with each piece and then let rest for about 10 minutes while covered (plastic wrap or a damp towel is fine).
One at a time roll the dough out to about a 6-to-8-inch circle, or 1/8 inch thick, don’t worry about making it perfectly round, rustic is the way to go. Lift the dough and carefully place it on the hot stone, or baking sheet. At 2 minutes the pita will be puffy, and you can turn it (I recommend tongs and a glove potholder, it’s hot!). As you bring the pita’s out place them in a dish or bread basket, and cover to keep soft and warm!! Always make baking your pita’s one of the last things you do before you serve your meal and you’ll have some happy eaters! Enjoy!!
