Pita is a Mediterranean flatbread. What a Naan is to Indians, a Pita is to Arabians. Arabic Pita Bread, Syrian Pita Bread, and Greek Pita Bread are all terms used to describe this pita bread. Despite the fact that the pita bread dough is comparable to other flatbreads such as pizza dough or naan dough, it is the characteristic puff (pocket) that makes pita bread perfect for fillings, wraps, or sandwiches that distinguishes it. Here is the recipe to make your own pita bread at home Ingredient: 2 tsp active dry yeast ½ tsp sugar 35 g whole-wheat flour (¼ cup), preferably freshly milled 310 g unbleached all-purposed flour (2 ½ cups) 1 tsp salt 2 Tbsp olive oil Image credit: Pexels Method: In a large mixing bowl, pour 1 cup of lukewarm water. Mix in the yeast and sugar. To dissolve, stir the ingredients together. Whisk together Ithe whole-wheat flour and ¼ cup all-purpose flour. Place bowl in a warm (not hot) place, uncovered, for 15 minutes, or until mixture is foamy and bubbling. Add salt, olive oil, and almost all of the remaining all-purpose flour (save 1/2 cup) to this. Stir with a wooden spoon or chopsticks until the mixture resembles a scruffy mess. Dust with a little of the flour you set aside, then knead for 1 minute in the bowl, incorporating any stray bits of dry dough. Place the dough on a work surface. Lightly knead for about 2 minutes, or until smooth. Cover and set aside for 10 minutes before kneading for another 2 minutes. Avoid using too much of the saved flour; the dough should be soft and wet. At this point, the dough can be chilled for several hours or overnight in a large airtight bag. Return the dough to room temperature, knead it into a ball, and continue with the procedure. Transfer the dough to the mixing bowl after cleaning it. Wrap cling wrap around the bowl and then cover with a cloth piece. Place the bowl in a warm, but not hot place. Allow the dough to proof. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees C. Put a heavy baking tray, large cast-iron pan, or ceramic baking tray on the lowest shelf of the oven. Divide the dough and divide it into eight equal-sized pieces. Make a little ball out of each component. Cover dough balls with a moist towel and set aside for 10 minutes. Take one dough ball and flatten it with a rolling pin (keeping the rest covered). Roll into a 6-inch circle, then to an 8-inch diameter, about 1/8-inch-thick disc flouring as needed. Slowly lift the formed circle and set it on the hot baking sheet as soon as possible. The dough should be well puffed after 2 minutes. Turn with tongs or a spatula and bake for another minute. Only a few brown speckles should be visible on the pita. Warm pita bread should be placed in a napkin-lined basket and covered to keep it soft. Continue with the remaining dough balls. Your pita bread is ready to be served with hummus or any other side dish you wish to have.
