When Shailaja TG (she blogs here) put up a picture of pita baked in the oven (on ChefatLarge group on FB), I knew I had to try it right away. Now that I am over my fear of baking with yeast after two successful stints – Honeycomb Bread & Semi-homemade Pizza – I was more than ready to try making Pita Bread right away. It is especially exciting when I have all the ingredients required right there in my pantry – and this recipe uses just flour, yeast, sugar, salt and water!
Ingredients:
- All Purpose Flour – 3 Cups
- Active Yeast – 1 package
- Water – 1/2 Cup, warm (around 110F) + 1 Cup lukewarm
- Salt – 1 1/2 tsp
- Sugar – 1 tsp
- Oil – 1 tsp
In a bowl, mix the active yeast and 1/2 cup warm water and let it sit for at least 10 minutes till it starts frothing. In a bowl sift together the flour, salt and sugar. Now add the yeasty water and mix it in. Pour in the 1 Cup lukewarm water little by little till you get a sticky and elastic dough. Now transfer the the dough onto a floured surface and knead for sometime till the dough turns smooth but still elastic. Now grease a big bowl with oil. Place the dough in it, cover with a cling wrap and keep it in a warm place. Keep it undisturbed for 2 to 3 hours till it doubles in size.
If you are not using it right away you can refrigerate the dough for up to a day – just make sure it is back to room temperature before working with it.
Now very carefully put the rolled out dough onto the preheated cookie sheet. I put two at a time. Bake till the pita breads puff up. Turn it using tongs and bake for 2 more minutes. Repeat for all the pita bread.
If you are not using it right away you can refrigerate the dough for up to a day – just make sure it is back to room temperature before working with it.
Preheat oven to 500F. Also, preheat the cookie sheet you will be making the pita bread on.
Place the dough on a floured surface. Roll it into a rope and pinch out about 12 balls from it. Using a rolling pin roll the balls out into till they reach about 1/4 of inch thickness.
Now very carefully put the rolled out dough onto the preheated cookie sheet. I put two at a time. Bake till the pita breads puff up. Turn it using tongs and bake for 2 more minutes. Repeat for all the pita bread.
I stored the pitas in a Ziploc bag. They stayed fresh for 2 days. It will last longer if you refrigerate it. We ate the Pita bread with the Chicken Curry I had made using Maharashtrian Goda Masala.
Find original recipe here.
I used to make it often but the whole wheat variety and for some strange reason yesterday it dint puff up as always rather they got crisp. now we are enjoying pita chips with hummus. Sigh!
your look wonderful and this is such a great thing to freeze.
Thank you so much! Pita chips & hummus sounds good! 😀 I want to try the whole wheat variety too…!