This summer my daughter went to camp, just like a lot of other kids. We got the chance to visit camp for a day and see all the great things she had been enjoying there. On top of that, my wife and I got to enjoy a nice weekend driving through Wisconsin. As an added bonus to the trip, we shared the ride back with an Israeli friend. Of course the conversation soon turned to food and we talked about some of the best places to eat around the Twin Cities. I shared my love of cooking and he asked if I had ever made my own pita. I had never made pita before, so I decided it was about time I tried.
Roll out the dough into flat rounds and let them rise for 10-15 minutes before baking.
I decided to use some whole wheat flour in my pitas. I don’t know why, it just seemed like the thing to do. I think if I had stuck to white bread flour, they might have been a bit softer and fluffier. But these had a more rustic kind of feel to them and the flavor is good. I think they do a little better if they have some extra time to rise, so don’t be in a hurry to get them in the oven. These pitas are great cut into wedges to dip in some hummus, or cut them in half and fill them with falafel and some veggies. If you want to save some for another day, they will keep well in a Ziploc bag for a few days.
The pitas should puff up with air as they bake.
Pita Bread
- 1+ cup water (adjust as necessary until the dough comes together)
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp yeast
- 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 3 cups bread flour
Combine all ingredients in the bowl of your stand mixer and attach the dough hook. Mix the dough on low until it is all combined and then increase the speed one setting. Let the machine knead the dough for about 5 minutes, then remove the dough. Roll it into a smooth round ball and place in a large bowl that has been sprayed with a little cooking spray. Roll the dough around to coat it, then place a towel over the top of the bowl and leave to rise for about 2 hours.
Remove the dough from the bowl onto a well floured surface. Divide it into eight equal size pieces and roll each into a tight ball. Allow the dough balls to rest for another 10-to-15 minutes. Roll each ball of dough out into a flat round about 6-to-7 inches in diameter. Let them rise again for another 10-to-15 minutes while the oven preheats to 450 degrees. Don’t forget to put your pizza stone on the lowest rack of the oven BEFORE you turn it on. You want the stone to heat up with the oven.
Toss the rounds on the hot stone two or three at a time (depending on the size of your stone). Let them bake for about 5 minutes. They should puff up with air and just start to brown. Remove them from the oven and let them cool before cutting the pitas.
