Homemade pitta bread

While visiting family over the Christmas period, my sister-in-law and niece made homemade pitta bread pockets to bring to a BBQ. They were so yummy that when we returned home I tracked down a recipe. The first recipe I tried worked really well. And it was easy. So if you're at all interested in bread making, baking, or just making homemade versions of things you normally buy, I'd urge you to try this... it really is worth the effort.



In the meal above we ate it with greek salad, roasted cauliflower, hummous, dolmades and halloumi salad, but it's also equally good split and stuffed with a few humble salad ingredients.

Homemade pitta bread adapted from Kitchen Simplicity
Makes 8

1 1/8 cup warm water
1.5 tsp. sugar
1.5 tsp. instant yeast
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups plain flour

1 cup whole meal plain flour
1 tsp. salt

Stir sugar into warm water. Sprinkle yeast over top and allow to stand for 10 min. Stir in olive oil, both flours and salt. Knead until soft, pliable and barely sticky (add a bit more flour if needed). Cover with a damp tea towel and leave in a warm area to rise for 1 hour.

On a lightly floured surface roll dough into a 12 inch rope. Cut into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place under a damp tea towel (don't skip this step - the ball shape forms the pockets). Taking one piece at a time, roll into about a 7 inch circle or oval (do not make it any larger because if the dough is too thin the pita will not puff in the centre). Place back under the damp tea towel making sure the surface is dusted with flour so it does not stick. Repeat with remaining dough. Allow to rise for 30 minutes until slightly puffed. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 250ºc/500ºF.

Put 1 or 2 pittas onto a wire cooling rack and place it directly on the oven rack. Bake for 4- 5 minutes until puffed in the centre and just starting to brown on the sides. Remove and place back under the damp towel to cool and soften. Repeat with remaining pitas.

Once cool store in an airtight container and refrigerate for a couple days or freeze for 1-2 months.