Pita Bread
Ingredients
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- 1 1/4 cups water – warm (105–115°F)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil – for dough
- 1 tbsp olive oil – for greasing bowl
- 1/4 cups all-purpose flour – for dusting
Instructions
1. In a large bowl, whisk the warm water and sugar to dissolve, then sprinkle the active dry yeast over the top. Let stand until foamy, 5–10 minutes.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 cups all-purpose flour and the fine sea salt. Make a well, pour in the yeast mixture and 1 tbsp olive oil (for dough), and stir until a shaggy dough forms.
3. Knead on a clean surface until smooth and elastic, 8–10 minutes (or 6–8 minutes in a stand mixer), adding no extra flour; lightly oil your hands if the dough is very sticky.
4. Lightly coat a clean bowl with 1 tbsp olive oil (for greasing bowl). Form the dough into a ball, place in the bowl, turn to coat, cover, and let rise until doubled in size, 60–75 minutes.
5. Set a baking stone/steel or an inverted heavy baking sheet on the middle rack and preheat the oven to 500°F for at least 30 minutes.
6. Gently deflate the dough, turn it out, and divide into 8 equal pieces. Shape each into a tight ball, cover, and rest 10–15 minutes.
7. On a lightly floured surface using the 0.25 cup all-purpose flour (for dusting), roll each ball into a 6–7 inch round about 0.25 inch thick. Roll evenly and avoid tearing or leaving thick edges.
8. Working quickly, place 2–3 rounds onto the preheated stone/steel. Bake until fully puffed and just beginning to color, 2–3 minutes; for more color, flip and bake 1 minute more. Doneness cue: breads will be inflated and lightly golden with a hollow sound when tapped.
9. Transfer pitas to a clean kitchen towel and cover to keep soft. Repeat with remaining rounds, keeping unbaked rounds covered so they don’t dry out.
10. Cool 10 minutes before slicing or serving. Store cooled pitas in an airtight bag at room temperature up to 2 days or freeze up to 1 month.
Pita bread is a soft, round flatbread known for its signature pocket, a steam-created hollow that makes it perfect for stuffing with grilled meats, salads, and spreads. When baked at high heat, the dough balloons dramatically, yielding a chewy interior and tender crumb with light blistering on the surface. Its mild flavor and flexible texture make it a versatile everyday bread for scooping dips like hummus and baba ghanoush, wrapping falafel, or serving alongside stews and salads.
Rooted in the cuisines of the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East, pita has ancient origins tied to hearth and clay-oven baking traditions. The pocket-forming technique likely evolved with very hot domed ovens such as tabun and tandoor, where rapid heat seals the exterior and traps steam. Over time the bread spread throughout the Levant, North Africa, and Greece; the term “pita” became widely used in Greek and international contexts, while regional names and sizes vary. Today it remains a daily staple and an emblematic bread of the region’s foodways.