Homemade Pita Bread
This fresh, fluffy and lightly browned pita bread has tons of character and flavor. Ready for stuffing with your favorite ingredients like falafel, veggies and hummus.
Prep Time2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
Cook Time25 minutes mins
Total Time3 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
Author: Kathy Patalsky
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon coconut sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoon yeast
- 2 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 2 ¼ cups bread flour
- ½ cup spelt flour (or more bread flour)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- flour for dusting work surface
In a large mixing bowl, add flour, water, coconut sugar. (Regular sugar can be subbed.) Stir to dissolve yeast and sugar. Let sit for ten minutes.
Add in the olive oil, flour and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon until mixture thickens, then start kneading with your hands either in the bowl or onto the countertop - lightly flour first. Knead for 2-3 minutes.
Keep dough in the bowl - or place back in the bowl and cover with a clean dish towel or a lid. Allow the dough to rise for two hours.
After dough has risen..
Preheat oven to 475. Place either a cast iron sheet, thick baking sheet or pizza stone in the oven. If you do not have those, using the basic metal rack in the oven will work, but may not be as effective since you want a HOT surface for the dough.
When dough is risen - turn out onto a lightly floured countertop or large cutting board. Knead for 1-2 minutes then section the dough off into 6-8 pieces (depending on how large you want your pita bread.)
Using your rolling pin, roll out your dough round into flat circles - about ¼ inch thick and 6-8 inches wide. If you want a thinner pita, you can roll the dough out to 8 inches wide and ⅛ inch thick. I like my pita a bit thicker though.
Open the oven and add the pita rounds, 2-3 at a time. Be careful as the oven will be very hot. Place the dough on your hot plate tool (stone, sheet, cast iron..) and close the oven. Wait 2-4 minutes for the pita to puff up and brown, then using tongs, flip pita. Allow 1-2 more minutes to bake, then remove from the oven. Repeat with remaining dough rounds.
Serve right away or freeze for later. Best served right after baking.
Calories: 193kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 293mg | Potassium: 46mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg