I can’t remember how old I was the first time I had pita bread. In fact, I can’t even remember where I was: School? A friend’s house? All I do remember is that it was stuffed with sandwich fixings (turkey, lettuce, tomato and cheese) and I thought the fact that it was a pocket was the coolest thing ever. (I was probably 9 or 10, but hey, it still is cool.)
Pita comes in a few different forms, depending on the culture and country. Some have the tell tale pocket, like Arabic bread. Some are a thicker flatbread, like Greek pita. With so many variations, there really is a perfect pita for whatever you’re making.
My favorite version hands down is the pocket pita, or Arabic style bread. I like that it can be filled. I like that it can be torn into thin strips for dipping hummus or scooping my favorite Lebanese treats. And if I am really honest, I think it just has a better taste than the thicker, pocket-free versions. (Don’t tell the Greeks that!)
In theory, pita should be a pretty easy bread to make. It has your standard bread ingredients: water, sugar, salt, yeast. It is also a fast baking bread. However, for some reason, I have struggled to make it. Sure, I could produce a tasty flatbread, but my pocket success rate (or PSR) was low. I tried a lot of recipes and each time I was let down.
I tried cooking pita in a hot oven (as hot as it would go). However, I would lose heat with every door opening. I tried baking pans and baking stones. The stone was marginally better. Still, the pocket eluded me. Until I accidentally stumbled across Chef Billy Parisi’s recipe. The only big difference between his recipe and the ones I have tried in the past was the addition of whole wheat flour (which adds amazing flavor depth). However, I don’t think the flour was the real reason for success. It came down to technique.
The Billy Parisi I watched gave the option of traditional oven baking (which I struggle with due to heat loss). It also gave a stove top cast iron option. What?! Stovetop pita?! Maybe I am the last person to get the news about stovetop pita baking, but I can affirm that it was a game changer for me. Yes, the pita took a little more hands-on attention and slightly longer to bake, but what I got was a higher pocket success rate. And that made me happy!
I love Chef Parisi’s recipe for it’s depth of flavor and ease of use, but I did make a few small tweaks to the ingredients and the instructions. I wanted to simplify it enough that you’d be excited to try it too. Once you make it, you’ll never buy pita again!
Pita Pocket Bread
Course: BreadCuisine: Middle Eastern, MediterraneanDifficulty: Easy12
servings2
hours40
minutesIngredients
1 ½ cups warm water (110° to 115°)
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast or one packet
2 tbs sugar, divided
3 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 tbs EVOO
Cooking spray
Directions
- Add the water, yeast and 1 tablespoon of sugar to a stand mixer and whisk using a hand whisk until it is combined. Let sit for 5 to 7 minutes, or until bloomed (foamy).
- Once yeast has bloomed, add flours, remaining sugar, salt and olive oil. With the hook attachment, mix and knead on low speed for 8 to 10 minutes. The dough should be smooth and slightly sticky, about the same tackiness as a Post-it Note.
- Spray a bowl or container with cooking spray to coat. Remove dough from mixer, shape into a ball and roll around in cooking spray bowl to coat. Cover bowl with a dish towel, fabric napkin or plastic wrap. Place dough in a COLD oven and turn on the oven light. Allow dough to double in size, about 90 minutes to 2 hours.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a lightly flour-dusted surface and press to form a rough rectangle. Cut the dough into 12-14 pieces and then taking each piece of dough keep folding it under to form a smooth dough ball.
- Roll each dough ball out on a lightly flour-dusted surface until it’s about 1/8” to 1/4” thick and 6” to 8” in diameter. Uniform is great, but they do not have to be perfect.
- Transfer rolled dough to parchment lined cookie sheets OR leave on your floured counter (if you have the space!). Cover with a dish towel or fabric napkin. Allow the dough to rest about 25-30 minutes.
- On the stovetop, heat a cast iron pan over medium heat. When warm, add one dough round to the pan. Cook for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, then slowly flip, taking care not to deflate any bubbles that may start forming. Cook for approximately 1 minute on second side. The entire cooking time per pita should not exceed 2 1/2 minutes. If it doesn’t inflate after 1 1/2 minutes, it likely will stay flat. Don’t stress, it will still be tasty!
- Move to cooling rack after baking. Cover with a light dish towel or napkin while cooling.
Notes
- If you do not have whole wheat on hand, you can substitute all-purpose flour 1:1.
- The pita is best the day it is made, but you can make it up to 1 day in advance and reheat. I prefer to make my pita, store any uneaten bread in a freezer bag in the freezer. They keep nicely in the freezer for up to a month. I just allow them to defrost to room temperature or microwave 1 pita for 30-40 seconds if I need them quicker.
