Easy As Pita Bread Recipes

Steps:

• Place yeast into the work bowl of a stand mixer and add 1 cup warm water and 1 cup flour. Whisk together and let stand 15 to 20 minutes for mixture to rise and make a loose sponge. Mixture will bubble and foam.
• Pour 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and salt into sponge; add 1 3/4 cup flour. Mix at low speed, using a dough hook attachment, until dough is soft, supple, and slightly sticky. If dough sticks to the sides of the bowl, add up to 1/4 cup more flour, a little at a time.
• Knead dough with machine on low speed until slightly springy and still soft, 5 to 6 minutes. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface and form into a ball.
• Wipe inside of bowl with 1/4 teaspoon olive oil. Turn dough around in bowl to cover with a thin film of oil; cover bowl with foil and let sit until dough has doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Remove dough from bowl and place onto a floured work surface. Lightly pat into a flat shape about 1 inch thick. Use a knife to cut dough into 8 pieces.
• Form each piece into a small round ball with a smooth top, pulling dough from the sides and tucking the ends underneath the bottom.
• Cover dough balls with lightly oiled plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle a small amount of flour on a work surface and top of a dough ball; gently pat dough ball flat with your fingers, forming a flat, round bread about 1/4 inch thick. Let dough round rest for 5 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough balls.
• Brush a cast-iron skillet with remaining 3/4 teaspoon olive oil and place over medium-high heat. Lay pita bread into hot skillet and cook until bread begins to puff up and bottom has brown spots and blisters, about 3 minutes. Flip, cook 2 more minutes, and flip back onto original side to cook for about 30 more seconds. Pita bread will begin to puff up and fill with hot air. Stack cooked breads on a plate; when cool enough to handle, break breads in half and open the pocket inside for stuffing.

Steps:

• add the first five ingredients together and leave them for at least ten minutes covered.
• mix with the flour. i usually use standard grade white flour and if i need more when im mixing up the dough i use wheatmeal flour.
• mix up the dough until you get it to bounce back slightly when you press it. it shouldnt be sticky.
• cover it with flour, leave it to rise covered for at least thirty minutes.
• divide up the risen dough into eight pieces and roll each one out.
• make each protion 15/18 cm in diameter.
• leave to stand for 10 minutes before baking.
• dont open the oven too much.
• take out the bread as soon as it has finished rising.
• you can freeze it after it has cooled down and reheat it for use later.
• note, its ok for the bread to go flat again after you take it out of the oven.

Steps:

• Mix the yeast with 300ml warm water in a large bowl. Leave to sit for 5 mins until the yeast is super bubbly then tip in the flour, salt and olive oil. Bring the mixture together into a soft dough. Don't worry if it looks a little rough round the edges.
• Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead for 5-10 mins until you have a soft, smooth and elastic dough. Try to knead using as little extra flour as possible, just enough so that the dough doesn't stick - this will keep the pittas light and airy. Once kneaded, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to double in size, approximately 1 hour.
• Heat oven as high as it will go (ideally 250C/230C fan/gas 9) and put a large baking tray on the middle shelf of the oven to get searingly hot. Divide the dough into eight balls then flatten each into a disc with the palm of your hand. On a lightly floured surface, roll each disc into an oval, around 20cm long, 15cm wide and 3-5mm thick.
• Carefully remove the hot tray from the oven. Dust with flour then place your pittas directly onto it - you may have to do this in batches. Return swiftly to the oven and bake for 4-5 mins, or until the pittas have puffed up and are a pale golden colour. Wrap each hot pitta in a clean tea towel once it's baked to keep it soft while the others cook.

Steps:

• In mixing bowl, combine water and sugar; sprinkle yeast and let stand for 10 minutes or until dissolved and creamy.
• Using electric mixer, beat in 2 c.of the flour, oil and salt; beat for about 3 minutes or until smooth, scraping down side of bowl from time to time.
• With wooden spoon, beat in enough of the remaining flour to make stiff dough.
• Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
• Place dough in lightly greased bowl, turning to grease all over.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in bulk.
• Divide dough into 16 or 32 pieces.
• On lightly floured surface, roll each piece into 7" or 4" rounds.
• Cover and let rise for 15 minutes or until slightly risen.
• Meanwhile, heat ungreased baking sheet on lowest rack in 500 degree oven (240 C).
• Using floured metal spatula, quickly transfer 2 or 3 pita rounds to heated baking sheet; bake for 3 or 4 minutes or until puffed and light golden around edges.
• Repeat with remaining pita rounds.
• Let cool between damp tea towels.
• Pitas will collapse and soften slightly, but pocket will remain.
• (Alternatively, if crisp pitas are desired, let cool on racks) Pitas can be stored in plastic bags in freezer for up to 1 month.
• Makes 16 7" pitas or 32 4" pitas.