Friday, May 04, 2007

Put a Pita in your Pocket


Pita bread is something my family has been making for as long as I can remember; in fact, when I prepared my own recipe in cooking school for the class, I couldn't recall where it had originated, I just knew that it was good and they all agreed. These are so fun to make and puff up nicely, leaving a hollow center to fill with grilled chicken, veggies or whatever you desire. They are pretty amazing just warm from the oven with a drizzle of olive oil.

Wimbush Family Pita Bread

1 tablespoon yeast
1 ¼ cup warm water

1 teaspoon salt
3- 3 ½ cups flour

Dissolve yeast in water for about 5 minutes in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add salt and 1 ½ cups flour and with the dough hook, beat to make a batter. Add additional flour until a rough, shaggy mass is formed. Knead 8 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. Add more flour if it is too sticky.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into six pieces for large pitas or ten for smaller. I make all sorts of sizes to suit different snacks and meals. Form dough into balls, then flatten with a rolling pin into ¼ inch thick discs. Try and keep an even thickness as this is what helps them ‘puff’.

Let rest on the floured surface 30-40 minutes until slightly puffed. Preheat oven to 425F.
With a large spatula, flip the rounds of dough upside down on to a b
aking sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes until light golden. Stick around for the first five minutes of baking when the pitas perform their magic and puff up from flat pancakes to proud, four inch high pitas.

These store for up to two days well wrapped or frozen for three weeks.

14 comments:

Zaak said...

Pita is truly great! We used to buy pitas at a little veggie store around the corner in Montreal.

Have you seen Baran? There's a great pita making sequence at the beginning of that movie.

Mandy said...

Warm and drizzled with olive oil.... These look fabulous - I'm salivating.

Tammy said...

I remember you making this at Graham! The first time I saw the pitas rise in the oven, I thought it was the coolest thing. Yah, so, I was sheltered. But, still - they were amazing!!

Anonymous said...

Awww..that reminds me of mum

Kajal@aapplemint said...

u will not believe me if i tell u i've just made some dough to make pita breads !i love these too and have been eating them almost forever.But its only recently that i 've started making my own.Usually we'd just get them everytime someone was comming from dubai or the middle east.Which was very often.Cant wait for my dough to rise ....love the pictures you've taken.

Aimée said...

Zaak-Haven't seen Baran. Must do so.
Mandy-Thanks a bunch!
Tammy-Thanks for the reminder, and yes it is the coolest when the pitas rise, I never get tired of watching.
Mira-So call her then.
Kate-Thanks and enjoy your pitas!

Helene said...

I have been on the lookout to make my own.Thanks for sharing the recipe!

Jerry said...

I've fallen in love with gyros and I'm sure your pita bread recipe will pair well with my experiments.

Leigh said...

great post - people dont give the humble pita enough credit, so its great to see so many people fighting thier corner!

Aimée said...

Helen- Thanks, I am sure you will enjoy making these pitas.

Jerry- Welcome and happy experimenting!

Stockton- Welcome to UtHC and thanks for stopping by!

Roving Lemon said...

Posting well after the fact to say that I made these, and posted about it on my blog. They were great--thanks

Anonymous said...

Ok gave these a try today since non of the ones at the store I can find are "clean" and wanted to make my own, everything went well except when I cut them open no pocket they are full, so what did I do wrong??? maybe not thin enough???

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing, this recipe is now one of my keepers! My first attempt only yielded one "good" one, the rest did not rise and were just flat bread... but I did deflate them as I transferred to the baking sheet (stuck to the bench - not enough flour) but second time around they turned out perfectly!! And I do not tire of the anticipation to watch them rise - it really is amazing how it all happens! :)

Anonymous said...

ps. And they taste so good!

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