Pita bread is a soft flatbread used as a wrap or to scoop our delicious Lebanese food. In Lebanon its bought fresh daily is comes at a much larger size than we are often accustomed to in North America. pita bread is a yeast-leavened flatbread common in Middle Eastern cuisines. You’ll need a heavy cast iron pan if you want to attempt making it stove top but we found the most success making it on a pizza stone.
Watching the pita rise and puff into pillow pockets in the oven is one the most satisfying and rewarding baking experience.
- Divide dough into 8 equal size balls and roll out 1/8 inch thick; 6-7 inch diameter.
- Let rest cover with damp towel for 30 minutes.
- When ready to bake, place dough face down on hot stone (very important step, flip dough over!!!); they will puff up and brown slightly in about 3 minutes.
- Cover pita bread with clean towel and repeat process until all pitas are finished.
- Once cooled store in plastic bag to keep soft and fresh.
Pita bread {خبز عربي }
Pita bread is a soft flatbread used as a wrap or for scooping many of our favorite Lebanese foods. Pita bread is baked fresh daily and is usually split open into two flats that can be wrapped individually or overlapped for a sturdy sandwich like falafel.
Equipment
- 1 pizza stone optional
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 tsp yeast
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- In a medium bowl add flour, salt sugar, and combine.
- Create well in center of flour; pour in warm water and sprinkle in yeast.
- Wait for the yeast to activate.
- Add olive oil and mix with spoon to combine.
- Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead until it becomes smooth and elastic; add small amounts of flour as needed if dough is too sticky.
- Place dough ball in a clean lightly oiled bowl to rest; cover with a clean lint-free damp towel or plastic wrap and leave to double in size, about 1 hour.
- Punch down dough; turn out onto the floured surface.
- Divide dough into 8 equal size balls and roll out 1/8 inch thick; 6-7 inch diameter.
- Let rest covered with a damp towel for about 10 minutes while oven preheats.
- Place baker stone on middle rack and preheat oven to 500° F.
- Depending on the size of your stone place dough face down on a hot stone (a very important step, flip the dough over!!!); they will puff up and brown slightly in about 3 minutes.Tip: if you don't have a pizza stone you can use a pan that's also been preheated in the oven. this will take a little longer than the pizza stone method; about 5-6 minutes.
- Cover pita bread with clean towel and repeat process until all pitas are finished.
- Once cooled store in plastic bag to keep soft and fresh.
