I know I say this about basically everything...but homemade pita doesn't even compare to grocery store pita. The pita you get at the store is typically a few days old, and I can promise you, it's as soft and delicious smelling as what you can make in your kitchen. Also, it's super easy (another thing I like to say a lot on this page ha!)
Create the sponge. In a large bowl, add the warm water, sugar, and the yeast. Give it a whisk and let it sit for about 10 minutes until it starts to bubble. If it doesn’t bubble, the yeast is dead, and you’ll have to start over again with fresh yeast.
After the yeast bubbles, add the flour and stir until it forms a shaggy ball. Knead the dough in the bowl until it all comes together and there’s no remanences in the bowl.
Lightly dust a clean surface and roll the dough ball out. Knead for a few minutes until the dough is nice and smooth. Drizzle olive oil into the bowl and rub it around the sides of the bowl. Place the dough back in the bowl and roll it around so it’s lightly greased. This allows the dough to rise without any pull.
After doubled, punch the dough down and place it on a lightly floured surface.
Divide the dough into 7 to 8 equal pieces and shape them into balls. Cover the balls with a towel leave them for about 10 minutes to allow the gluten to relax.
Using a floured rolling pin, roll out the pitas to about 8-9 inch wide and ¼ inch thick. The lift and roll method is best so they don’t stick to the counter.
For the stove-top method, heat a cast iron skillet to medium-high. Once hot, drizzle a small amount of olive oil in the pan, then wipe it off. One by one, lay the rolled out pita onto the skillet and cook for 30 seconds until they start to bubble. Flip the pita and cook for about a minute and a half until large brown spots, then flip again and cook for another one and a half minutes. This is when the puff forms. The pita is done when the pocket is formed, like below.
Ingredients:
· 1 cup warm water
· 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
· ½ teaspoon sugar
· 1 ½ cup all -purpose flour
· 1 ½ cup whole wheat flour
· 1 teaspoon kosher salt
· 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions:
1. Create the sponge. In a large bowl, add the warm water, sugar, and the yeast. Give it a whisk and let it sit for about 10 minutes until it starts to bubble. If it doesn’t bubble, the yeast is dead, and you’ll have to start over again with fresh yeast.
2. After the yeast bubbles, add the flour and stir until it forms a shaggy ball. Knead the dough in the bowl until it all comes together and there’s no remanences in the bowl.
3. Lightly dust a clean surface and roll the dough ball out. Knead for a few minutes until the dough is nice and smooth.
4. Drizzle olive oil into the bowl and rub it around the sides of the bowl. Place the dough back in the bowl and roll it around so it’s lightly greased. This allows the dough to rise without any pull.
5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and place it in a warm, not hot, area to rise for an hour and a half or until the dough has doubled in size
6. After doubled, punch the dough down and place it on a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 7 to 8 equal pieces and shape them into balls. Cover the balls with a towel leave them for about 10 minutes to allow the gluten to relax.
7. Using a floured rolling pin, roll out the pitas to about 8-9 inch wide and ¼ inch thick. The lift and roll method is best so they don’t stick to the counter.
8. To bake the pita you can either cook them on your stove-top or in the oven. I prefer the stove-top method because it’s easier for me to control the temperature.
9. For the stove-top method, heat a cast iron skillet to medium-high. Once hot, drizzle a small amount of olive oil in the pan, then wipe it off. One by one, lay the rolled out pita onto the skillet and cook for 30 seconds until they start to bubble. Flip the pita and cook for about a minute and a half until large brown spots, then flip again and cook for another one and a half minutes. This is when the puff forms. The pita is done when the pocket is formed.
10. For the oven method – heat the oven to 475 degrees. Place a cast iron skillet or baking pan in the oven while it’s heating up to ensure it’s nice and hot.
11. Working in batches, place two pitas in the oven and bake for 2 minutes. Flip the pitas and cook for another minute. Done!
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