Worlds Greatest Pita Bread Recipes

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast in 3/4 cup warm water. Stir in the sugar and set aside the mixture until it blooms with a slightly foamy top, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Sift together the all-purpose flour and white whole-wheat flour in the bowl of a stand mixer. Make a deep depression in the middle with a wooden spoon and add the olive oil. Slowly pour in the bloomed yeast mixture.
• Using the dough hook attachment, knead the dough on low speed until the mixture starts to come together. Slowly pour in 1 1/2 cups of warm water, adding up to an additional 1/4 cup if needed so the dough looks smooth and feels slightly sticky. Add the salt, increase the speed to medium and continue to knead until a soft and stretchy dough forms (it should not feel sticky), 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the dough to a large oiled bowl and cover with a damp towel. Allow it to rise in a dark area until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
• Transfer the risen dough to a lightly floured work surface and gently punch it down. Divide the dough into 18 even pieces, and form these pieces into smooth balls. Using a rolling pin, roll a piece of dough into circle that's about 5 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. Repeat with the remaining dough pieces. Cover the dough with the damp towel and let it rest for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place a nonstick baking sheet in the oven and preheat the oven to 525 degrees F.
• Remove the baking sheet from the oven and carefully transfer 3 pieces of dough to it; lightly spritz them with water from a spray bottle. Bake the pitas until they're puffed up and light brown with a few dark brown freckles in places, watching very closely because they burn quickly, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Remove the pitas from the baking sheet and allow them to cool on plates or a wire rack covered in paper napkins to maintain softness. Place the baking sheet back in the oven for 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining pitas.
• Serve the pitas immediately with Tahini Sauce, if desired. Store them in resealable bags at room temperature for up to 2 days or freeze them in resealable bags for up to 3 months.
• Combine the lemon juice, garlic, salt and cumin in a large bowl. Add the tahini to the garlic mixture, stirring with a whisk or fork to combine (the mixture will be very thick). Pour in 1/2 cup cold water, stirring until incorporated; feel free to add more until you reach the desired consistency. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.

Steps:

• Sprinkle yeast over warm water in a mixing bowl and allow to stand until the yeast forms a creamy foam, about 5 minutes. Mix in 2 cups of flour, salt, and shortening; beat for 2 minutes with a fork. Stir in as much of the remaining 1 1/2 cup flour as needed.
• Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, kneading in more flour if dough is sticky. Form into a ball, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rest in a warm area for 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
• Divide dough into 12 equal portions; flour your hands and roll each piece into a ball. Cover dough balls with a kitchen towel and let rest for 10 minutes. Flatten the balls into rounds on a floured surface, cover with kitchen towel, and let rest 10 more minutes. Gently roll each dough ball into a circle about 6 inches in diameter on a floured surface. Place pita breads in a single layer on ungreased baking sheets.
• Bake in preheated oven until the pita breads puff up, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip breads over with a spatula, return to oven, and bake 2 more minutes. Let cool on wire racks before cutting pita breads in half and gently separating tops and bottoms to form pockets for filling.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in salt and enough flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Do not let rise. , Divide dough into six pieces; knead each for 1 minute. Roll each into a 5-in. circle. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 500°. , Place upside down on greased baking sheets. Bake until puffed and lightly browned, 5-10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

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:

• Make sponge: Put 1 cup lukewarm water in a large mixing bowl. Add yeast and sugar. Stir to dissolve. Add the whole-wheat flour and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and whisk together. Put bowl in a warm (not hot) place, uncovered, until mixture is frothy and bubbling, about 15 minutes.
• Add salt, olive oil and nearly all remaining all-purpose flour (reserve 1/2 cup). With a wooden spoon or a pair of chopsticks, stir until mixture forms a shaggy mass. Dust with a little reserved flour, then knead in bowl for 1 minute, incorporating any stray bits of dry dough.
• Turn dough onto work surface. Knead lightly for 2 minutes, until smooth. Cover and let rest 10 minutes, then knead again for 2 minutes. Try not to add too much reserved flour; the dough should be soft and a bit moist. (At this point, dough may refrigerated in a large zippered plastic bag for several hours or overnight. Bring dough back to room temperature, knead into a ball and proceed with recipe.)
• Clean the mixing bowl and put dough back in it. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap, then cover with a towel. Put bowl in a warm (not hot) place. Leave until dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Heat oven to 475 degrees. On bottom shelf of oven, place a heavy-duty baking sheet, large cast-iron pan or ceramic baking tile. Punch down dough and divide into 8 pieces of equal size. Form each piece into a little ball. Place dough balls on work surface, cover with a damp towel and leave for 10 minutes.
• Remove 1 ball (keeping others covered) and press into a flat diskc with rolling pin. Roll to a 6-inch circle, then to an 8-inch diameter, about 1/8 inch thick, dusting with flour if necessary. (The dough will shrink a bit while baking.)
• Carefully lift the dough circle and place quickly on hot baking sheet. After 2 minutes the dough should be nicely puffed. Turn over with tongs or spatula and bake 1 minute more. The pita should be pale, with only a few brown speckles. Transfer warm pita to a napkin-lined basket and cover so bread stays soft. Repeat with the rest of the dough balls.

Steps:

• Combine the yeast, sugar and water. Let stand until foamy.
• Add the oil, salt, water and flour 1 cup at time until a dough forms.
• Knead until smooth.
• Place in a sprayed bowl. Cover with a damp towel. Let rise 2 hours.
• Punch down. Return to bowl. Cover. Let rest 30 minutes.
• Knead briefly. Divide into 12 pieces.
• Roll out each into a 4-6 inch circle.
• Place on sprayed wax paper, then cover with more sprayed wax paper.
• Let rest 30 minutes.
• Heat a dry iron skillet over medium heat.
• Cook each pita about 3 minutes each side or until puffed and speckeled.
• Wrap each in foil when done.
• Serve warm.
• WOW!