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recipes:breads:pita

(makes 6-8 pitas, depending on size)

Ingredients
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 cups unbleached while bread flour plus extra for sprinkling
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon rapid-rise active dry yeast

Note: If you like, you can add some additional flavors to the pita breads, such as chopped fresh herbs, black or red pepper, or other spices. I chose not to do so on this recipe, since we were using the pitas as a vehicle to get a very flavorful dish from plate to mouth.

Equipment
  • Stand mixer with dough hook, or bread machine. I guess you could also go the old-fashioned route and knead this by hand
  • Rolling pin
  • Glass cutting board or pastry board. You could also just roll this out directly on a solid surface countertop
  • 2-3 large cookie sheets
Method
  1. Heat up the bowl of your stand mixer by running it under hot water. Put the sugar in the bowl and pour the warm water over it. Add the yeast, and let it proof for 10 minutes or so. You will know it is ready when the yeast looks like it has about doubled in size. Note that the bowl and water should be warm, but not hot - I generally aim for body temperature, which is easy to measure without a thermometer. If the water is too cold, the yeast will take longer to activate, and if it is too hot, the yeast may be killed and won't work.
  2. When the yeast is ready, add the olive oil and half the flour to the bowl, along with the salt. Using a low setting on your mixer with the bread hook attachment, (I used speed 2 out of 12 on my Cuisinart-brand mixer - an equivalent setting should work fine on a KitchenAid or other brand) run for two minutes, or until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
  3. Begin adding the remaining flour slowly, continuing to mix at a low speed. Let the mixture absorb the flour before adding more. The dough will come together, and form a ball on the hook. When you are done adding the flour, look at the consistency of the dough. If it is floury or flaky, add a few drops of water at a time until it comes together. If it's too watery or sticky, add a little flour at a time until it comes together.
  4. Once the dough is at the right consistency, increase the speed of your mixer - I used speed 3 - and let it knead for 4 minutes. Take the dough off the hook, and roll it out into a cylinder with your hands.
  5. Divide the dough cylinder into equal pieces. Depending on the size of pitas you want, choose either 6 or 8 pieces. Cut the dough into pieces using a sharp knife.
  6. Roll each piece into a ball. Cover the balls, and let sit for 10 minutes. Note that they will rise a bit, so don't put them right next to each other.
  7. Using a rolling pin, roll each ball into a round or oval shape, about 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle each pita with flour to keep them from sticking. Cover (I use a damp dish towel to cover them) and let sit for 10 minutes.
  8. Place your cookie sheets into the oven, and preheat to 450 degrees. By preheating the cookie sheets, you will prevent the pitas from sticking to them.
  9. Place the pitas on the cookie sheets and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until they are puffed up and lightly browned. You can eat immediately, or let them cool down.

Notes

recipes/breads/pita.txt · Last modified: 2017/12/19 19:42 by admin

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