Pita bread (also known as pitta bread or Arabic bread) is a Mediterranean flat bread. It is absolutely delicious and really easy to make. It’s also easy to convince yourself that you’re eating healthily. I mean, it’s flat, so there can’t be many calories in it, right? And when it comes to baking it – I must admit I got a little bit excited when they all puffed up just as they were supposed to! I made my pita bread from white flour, but it can easily be made with wholemeal too.
I used the recipe for pita bread from Floyd at The Fresh Loaf. I tweaked the measurements to make them metric, but it worked out ok.
Ingredients (makes 8 pita breads):
- 400 g strong white bread flour
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp yeast
- 1 tbs honey
- 350 ml water
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Mix the honey with hot water. If your yeast needs to be activated, add it to the honey water (slightly cooled so you can stick your finger in it) and leave it for 10 minutes. Combine the flour, salt and add the olive oil and liquid. Stir it all together to make a dough. Knead the dough for 10 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic. Put it in a greased bowl, cover and leave in a warm place to prove for approximately an hour and a half (until doubled in size).
Knock back the dough to get rid of excess air bubbles and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll the dough pieces into balls and let them rest, covered, for 20 minutes.
Baking the pita breads on a baking stone is ideal, but if, like me, you’re not lucky enough to own such a thing, an upturned baking tray will also do. It needs to heat up with the oven, at 210° C. When you’re ready to bake the pita bread, take each piece of dough in turn and roll it out flat.
Place it on the baking tray and bake for about 3 minutes. Fit as many flat breads on the tray as you can (I managed two at a time). After about three minutes, each bread will have puffed up.
Eat it straight from the oven, of course! I don’t know how long this will keep, but it was fine the next day, still much fresher than shop-bought varieties. it’s great served with home made hummus!
I will be submitting this recipe to Wild Yeast’s YeastSpotting.
wow, i have never thought to make my own pita bread – great effort!
Thanks Jenny; it’s really easy – give it a go!
Gorgeous pita! Congrats on the Top 9!!!!
Thanks! I hadn’t realised about the Top 9!!
Wow, how gorgeous! Your picture of the pitas puffed in the oven is so encouraging that I think I’ll give it a go. Too often the store bought pitas turn moldy before I can use them. : )
Thanks! If your pita tastes as nice as mine did, there will be no danger of it going mouldy!
I have been searching for a good pita bread recipe & I just found it..thanks so much! I am officially following you…
http://angiesbigloveoffood.blogspot.com/
Thanks so much! Do check out the Fresh Loaf too, where I got the recipe. Let me know how yours turns out!
I always thought the recipe at the Fresh Loaf had too much water, but it looks like your’s is pretty high as well. That said, these look FANTASTIC! Great job. I’ll have to give that recipe another try. Thanks!
Thanks! I did end up using all the water in the recipe here. I guess, if you’re not sure, just add it bit by bit, so you can feel how much you’re going to need. I find it’s also variable depending on the weather/humidity. Hope you try them again!
Your pitas look simply perfect! Nice and soft, puffed just a bit and cooked to perfection. Congrats on today’s top 9! Nicely done!!
Just Beautiful, thanks for sharing!