Pita Bread

Name: Pita Bread
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 500g Bread Flour; 325ml Water, warmed to about 40°C; 7g Instant Dry Yeast; 10g Sea Salt, fine; 1 tsp Sugar; 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

These warm, pillowy pita breads are crisp on the outside and perfectly soft inside — ideal for stuffing with falafel, gyros, or hummus. Simple pantry ingredients and a short rise yield authentic pitas with a lovely pocket that puffs up in a blazing-hot oven or on a hot skillet. Make a batch and enjoy them fresh from the oven.

These warm, pillowy pita breads are crisp on the outside and perfectly soft inside — ideal for stuffing with falafel, gyros, or hu... Show more

Traditional Middle Eastern Recipe

Health Grade

D+ · Occasional

Rating

4.0

Time

2 hrs

Price

0,21 €

Calories

248 kcal

vegan

budget

low calorie

meal prep

low fat

low sugar

Method

Mix the dough

In a large bowl, stir together Water warmed to about 40° C, Sugar, and Instant Dry Yeast. Let it sit for 5 minutes until the surface looks foamy, then add Bread Flour, Sea Salt, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Mix until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains.

Knead briefly

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter and knead for 8 minutes, until it feels smooth, elastic, and just slightly tacky. If it sticks hard, dust the surface with a little more flour a pinch at a time, but keep the dough soft rather than stiff.

Let it rise

Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it, and let it rise in a warm spot until it looks puffy and has doubled in size, about 60 minutes.

Preheat the oven

Set a large baking sheet on the middle rack and heat the oven to 475° F. Let the sheet heat with the oven for about 15 minutes so the pitas hit a really hot surface and puff quickly.

Shape the rounds

Punch the dough down gently, turn it out, and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball, then roll it into a circle about 6 inches wide and 1/4 inch thick. Keep the pieces you are not working on covered so they do not dry out.

Rest the rounds

Lay the rounds on a tray or board, cover them with a clean towel, and let them rest for 10 minutes so the gluten relaxes and the dough stays easy to handle.

Bake the pitas

Transfer the rounds to the hot baking sheet and bake for 6–8 minutes, until each one balloons and shows a few pale golden spots. Work in batches if needed, and keep the oven door closed as much as possible so the heat stays strong.