You would have laughed if you had seen me. I was jumping up and down in my kitchen. I had FINALLY succeeded! I had made pita bread that actually looked like pita bread!
To better appreciate this feat of culinary awesomeness, I should give you at least a little background history. I have attempted to make pita bread at least a dozen times since Eric and I got married and every single time they refused to puff. They tasted fine, but we would have to eat them like flat bread and I was always disappointed. I had tried at least 6 different recipes and all of them ended up the same, no nice pocket to place all of our yummy fillings in. Instead, they had to be heaped on top in embarrassment.
I was disappointed and annoyed. Pita bread is supposed to be easy, at least that is what all the recipes seemed to indicate. I feel like I am fairly knowledgeable in the kitchen, so the fact that I couldn't get anything to work annoyed me, and every time it didn't work it annoyed me even more.
Grumbling to myself, I started to search google for another new pita recipe and stumbled on the following recipe from the smitten kitchen. I followed her recipe using my stand mixer exactly and eureka! Perfectly puffed pitas!
If you like pita bread, I highly recommend you try making your own as it is far superior to store bought. My husband liked them so much, he sort of sulked when I took a bit out of one of the few that were left because he wanted all of the leftover pitas for himself! (I told him it was for the baby. I can only use that excuse for so long.)
(Adapted from The Bread Bible from The Smitten Kitchen)
Ingredients:
3 cups plus a scant 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (16 oz./454 grams)
2 teaspoons salt (1/2 oz./13.2 grams)
2 teaspoons instant yeast (6.4 grams)
2 tablespoons olive oil (1 oz./27 grams)
1 1/4 cups water, at room temperature (10.4 oz./295 grams)
Directions
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all the ingredients. With the paddle attachment, mix on low speed (#2 if using a KitchenAid) just until all the flour is moistened, about 20 seconds. Change to the dough hook, raise the speed to medium (#4 KitchenAid), and knead for 10 minutes. The dough should clean the bowl and be very soft and smooth and just a little sticky to the touch. Add a little flour or water if necessary. (the dough will weigh about 27.75 oz./793 grams.)
2. Let the dough rise: Using an oiled spatula or dough scraper, scrape the dough into a 2-quart or larger dough-rising container or bowl, lightly greased with cooking spray or oil. Press the dough down and lightly spray or oil the top of it. Cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap. With a piece of tape, mark the side of the container at approximately where double the height of the dough would be.
(Took approximately 3-4 hours.)
3. Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 475°F. Have an oven shelf at the lowest level and place a baking stone, cast-iron skillet, or baking sheet on it before preheating.
4. Shape the dough: Cut the dough into 8 or 12 pieces. Work with one piece at a time, keeping the rest covered with a damp cloth. On a lightly floured counter, with lightly floured hands, shape each piece into a ball and then flatten it into a disk. Cover the dough with oiled plastic and allow it to rest for 20 minutes at room temperature.
Roll each disk into a circle a little under 1/4 inch thick. Allow them to rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes before baking.
5. Bake the pita: Quickly place 1 piece of dough directly on the stone or in the skillet or on the baking sheet, and bake for 3 minutes. The pita should be completely puffed but not beginning to brown. The dough will not puff well if it is not moist enough.
*If the pitas to not puff well, lightly spray each rolled-out pita with water two or three minutes before baking it.
-Anna
To better appreciate this feat of culinary awesomeness, I should give you at least a little background history. I have attempted to make pita bread at least a dozen times since Eric and I got married and every single time they refused to puff. They tasted fine, but we would have to eat them like flat bread and I was always disappointed. I had tried at least 6 different recipes and all of them ended up the same, no nice pocket to place all of our yummy fillings in. Instead, they had to be heaped on top in embarrassment.
I was disappointed and annoyed. Pita bread is supposed to be easy, at least that is what all the recipes seemed to indicate. I feel like I am fairly knowledgeable in the kitchen, so the fact that I couldn't get anything to work annoyed me, and every time it didn't work it annoyed me even more.
Grumbling to myself, I started to search google for another new pita recipe and stumbled on the following recipe from the smitten kitchen. I followed her recipe using my stand mixer exactly and eureka! Perfectly puffed pitas!
If you like pita bread, I highly recommend you try making your own as it is far superior to store bought. My husband liked them so much, he sort of sulked when I took a bit out of one of the few that were left because he wanted all of the leftover pitas for himself! (I told him it was for the baby. I can only use that excuse for so long.)
 |
| puffy pitas |
Ingredients:
3 cups plus a scant 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (16 oz./454 grams)
2 teaspoons salt (1/2 oz./13.2 grams)
2 teaspoons instant yeast (6.4 grams)
2 tablespoons olive oil (1 oz./27 grams)
1 1/4 cups water, at room temperature (10.4 oz./295 grams)
Directions
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all the ingredients. With the paddle attachment, mix on low speed (#2 if using a KitchenAid) just until all the flour is moistened, about 20 seconds. Change to the dough hook, raise the speed to medium (#4 KitchenAid), and knead for 10 minutes. The dough should clean the bowl and be very soft and smooth and just a little sticky to the touch. Add a little flour or water if necessary. (the dough will weigh about 27.75 oz./793 grams.)
2. Let the dough rise: Using an oiled spatula or dough scraper, scrape the dough into a 2-quart or larger dough-rising container or bowl, lightly greased with cooking spray or oil. Press the dough down and lightly spray or oil the top of it. Cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap. With a piece of tape, mark the side of the container at approximately where double the height of the dough would be.
(Took approximately 3-4 hours.)
3. Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 475°F. Have an oven shelf at the lowest level and place a baking stone, cast-iron skillet, or baking sheet on it before preheating.
4. Shape the dough: Cut the dough into 8 or 12 pieces. Work with one piece at a time, keeping the rest covered with a damp cloth. On a lightly floured counter, with lightly floured hands, shape each piece into a ball and then flatten it into a disk. Cover the dough with oiled plastic and allow it to rest for 20 minutes at room temperature.
Roll each disk into a circle a little under 1/4 inch thick. Allow them to rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes before baking.
5. Bake the pita: Quickly place 1 piece of dough directly on the stone or in the skillet or on the baking sheet, and bake for 3 minutes. The pita should be completely puffed but not beginning to brown. The dough will not puff well if it is not moist enough.
*If the pitas to not puff well, lightly spray each rolled-out pita with water two or three minutes before baking it.
-Anna
