Homemade Pita Bread
Deliciously soft and tender, these homemade Pitas are nothing short of heavenly! A super simple mix of pantry staples, whip these up to use in sandwiches, wraps, and even as naan!
Ingredients
- 3 3/4 cup all purpose flour , or bread flour
- 3/4 cup water , more if needed
- 2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
- 3/4 cup yogurt , full fat
- 3 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil , more for greasing
- 2 tsp salt
- 4 tsp sugar
Instructions
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Proof the yeast: In a mixing bowl, mix together the lukewarm water, yeast, and 1 tsp of the sugar. Let the mixture sit until the yeast blooms and the mixture looks bubbly on the top.
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Prepare the dough: In a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, or a large mixing bowl, add in the salt, flour, and remaining sugar. Whisk the dry ingredients until combined and then add in the yeast mixture, yogurt, and extra virgin olive oil.
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Knead the dough: Knead the dough by hand for 10-12 minutes until the dough is soft and slightly sticky to the touch. You might need to add a little more water or flour based on how wet or dry your dough turns out to be. Be sure to knead by hand for at least 10 minutes and not use the stand mixer because you won't get that fluffy texture otherwise.
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First dough rise: Shape the dough into a ball by tucking its sides underneath and transfer to a well-oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with a towel or some plastic wrap and let the dough sit for about 2 hours until it doubles in size.
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Second dough rise: After the dough has risen, transfer it from the bowl out onto a clean work surface and divide it into 8-12 same sized balls. Cover these with a towel or plastic wrap and let rise for another 20 minutes.
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Preheat the oven: While the dough is rising for the second time, preheat the oven to 500°F / 260°C.
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Roll: Once the dough has risen, roll the balls out into pitas that are evenly about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
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Bake: Place them onto a parchment lined baking tray and bake for 5-8 minutes until fluffy and golden brown. Make sure to keep an eye on them, though, because as soon as they puff up, take them out or they will become hard and dry out. Cool on a wire-rack for 10 minutes before serving. For best results, bake the pitas in two batches.
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Serve these pitas with some homemade falafel, hummus, and a quick salad for a delicious lunch!
Recipe Notes
- The oven temperature has to be very hot in order for them to puff up, so after your first batch if the oven temperature has dropped, let it come back up to temperature before baking the next batch.
- I needed to use about 3 tbsp more water to achieve the desired consistency using bread flour.
- For the yeast blooming, make sure not to use old yeast or use water that is too hot or cold. Lukewarm water works best for this step.
- Yogurt, although not usually found in a pita recipe, imparts a very faint tangy flavor and helps the pita become very soft and tender.
- To make sure that each pita is the same size, it's best to weigh the balls when you're dividing the dough so they're equal.