Holy Pita

Tonight was a tuna salad, whole wheat pita kinda night. This recipe is super simple and only takes about 2 hours out of your life, most of it being prep time. I absolutely LOVE pita but getting it from the store sometimes just doesn't fit into my budget. This recipe is very simple in the ingredients department and it so happens that I had everything in my pantry! Don't you just love when that happens?

Whole Wheat Pita

(makes 8 Pitas, Doubles easily!)

3 Cups Whole Wheat or All purpose Flour

1 1/4 Cup Warm Water

1-1/4 oz active dry yeast packet or 2 1/4 teaspoons 

1 1/2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 teaspoons salt

1 Tablespoon sugar

Proof Yeast by combining the packet of yeast in a bowl with 1/2 Cup warm water and sugar.  Let sit for 10 minutes, yeast should start to foam up, if not then your yeast has died and is no good.  When you add the sugar into the bowl that acts as food to the yeast, bringing it to life.

In stand up mixer add the rest of the ingredients, including the rest of your water (3/4 Cups). With Your dough hook you want to blend them together for 30 seconds, if yeast and salt directly meet then the yeast will die. NEVER add salt to your yeast directly. Then add your yeast mixture in and let your dough hook do the work for 5 minutes on med-low speed. Your dough should come together, if not add a little water, if too wet add a little more flour. 

Place dough on a floured surface and knead it for 10 minutes. This is my favorite step, feeling the dough and working with it in my hands. However if you would rather skip this step then leave it in your stand up mixer for 10 more minutes with dough hook on medium-low speed. 

Oil a bowl that is double the size or larger than the dough. Place dough in bowl, cover with a lightly damp cloth and place in a warm dry area. I put mine in my oven (not on of course). Let rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled in size. 

Turn Oven on to 400, and place a cooking stone or sheet pan in the oven to get hot.

 

Punch down dough and cut into 8 equal pieces, roll into balls, handling the dough as little as possible, and then cover with your lightly damp towel. Let rest/rise for 10 minutes. Then roll out dough in 1/4 inch circles.

Let rest for 10 more minutes, VERY important step.  

Place pita on stone, close the door, and watch it rise before your eyes. It will only takes about 3 to 6 minutes to cook. Once you pull them out, set them on top of each other. This helps release the air. 

Enjoy!