Pita Bread

Pita dough rising

If you have never made pita bread it is a lot of fun- and pretty easy. I made some for a program recently and thought I’d share the recipe. If the only pita bread you ever tasted is the grocery store stuff that may be days old when you get it- I think you will be pleased at the difference. You can easily add whole wheat flour to the dough- I do- or even spelt flour. We didn’t get to it in camp this week but I plan on making it with the kids next week.

Pita Bread

 4 ½- 4 ¾ c. flour

1 pkt. Active dry yeast

1 ½ t. sugar

1 ½ t. salt

1 ¾ c. water

2 T. oil

In large bowl combine 2 cups of the flour with other dry ingredients. Heat water and oil to 120-130 degrees (warm) and add to flour mixture in bowl beating until smooth. Beat three minutes then begin stirring in enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead on floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Cover dough with plastic wrap and then a towel and let rest on board 20 minutes. Punch dough down and divide into 12 pieces. Shape each into a smooth ball and place on board, allowing space in between. Cover and let rise 30 minutes. Pre-heat oven to 500- degrees. Roll dough balls into circles. Be careful to flour the board well so as not to tear the dough. Place 3 circles at a time directly on oven rack. OK, if you are chicken like me you can place a baking sheet in the oven to heat up and place loaves on the baking sheet instead of the oven rack- or you can use a pizza stone. They will puff up and brown in about three minutes. Remove to rack to cool and repeat with remaining dough. Makes 12.

Fresh from the oven

Baking pita