Homemade Pita Bread

So this week faithful readers, you are in for a double treat.  The first being this homemade pita bread.  I hadn't made this in a while and I cannot tell you why.  I could eat this bread with every single meal.  It is that good.  It really takes no time at all to make either.  Most of the time involved is waiting for the dough to rise, which requires no action on your part.  We had this the other night with rotisserie chicken.  Phenomenal.  So without further ado, lets get to it.

Ingredients:

• 1 package of yeast, or quick rising yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 cup lukewarm water

Method:

Dissolve your yeast into 1/2 cup of warm water. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Let sit for 10-15 minutes until water is frothy.

Combine flour and salt in large bowl.

Make a small depression in the middle of flour and pour yeast water in depression.

Slowly add 1 cup of warm water, and stir with wooden spoon or rubber spatula until elastic.

Place dough on floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes. When the dough is no longer sticky and is smooth and elastic, it has been successfully kneaded.  If you are using a large mixer like a KitchenAid then just hook up the dough hook and need for about 10 min. Here is the KitchenAid I have.
It is a great machine and I highly recommend it.  With the proper attachments you can make everything with this.  Pasta, bread, grind your own sausage.  Its awesome.  Sorry, back to the pita bread. =)

Coat large bowl with vegetable oil and place dough in bowl. Turn dough upside down so all of the dough is coated.

Allow to sit in a warm place for about 3 hours, or until it has doubled in size.  The right temp for the rise is about 80-85 degrees F.  If your house isnt quite that warm you can set the dough infront of a window if the sun is coming through or you can do what I do, preheat the oven for about 1 minute.  Then turn the oven off and put the bowl in.

Once the dough has doubled, roll out in a rope, and pinch off 10-12 small pieces. Place balls on floured surface. Let sit covered for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 500 deg F. and make sure rack is at the very bottom of oven. Be sure to also preheat your baking sheet.



Roll out each ball of dough with a rolling pin into circles. Each should be about 5-6 inches across and 1/4 inch thick.

Bake each circle for 4 minutes until the bread puffs up.  I smash the bread down with a spatula and then turn it over and bake for 2 minutes.

Remove each pita from the baking sheet and add additional pitas for baking.  I can usually get 2 pitas on my baking sheet at a time.

 Immediately place in storage bags or eat warm.  Its actually the best way.   This is bread so do not leave it out in the open air or it will harden.  The Mrs. says they taste a little like saltines when they harden up some.

Warm pitas, man I can't think of many things better.  Except for maybe fresh warm pita covered in homemade peach jam.  Thats coming in my next post.  I told you there was a double treat coming this week.  Stay tuned.

Don't forget for a closer view you can click on the pictures.  Don't forget to like this page on Facebook or Twitter.

Y'all keep it straight out there.