Pita bread is a leavened flat-bread, common in the Mediterranean, Levant, and neighbouring areas. Like many in Toronto, I was introduced to pita via Greek restaurants, where it would be grilled and either served on the side of a meal or wrapped around garlicky souvlaki skewers. I have tried many pita breads, and we are lucky in Toronto to have so many bakeries making great versions.
My favourite pita bread used to be made by a restaurant called “Fat Lamb Kouzina”, who unfortunately no longer supply retailers. The pita would be toasted in a skillet and would come out so warm and fluffy, they were the thing of pita dreams. In any case, I wanted to recreate that at home, and I’d like to share my version with you!
Pita Bread
Makes 6 pita bread
Ingredients:
360g lukewarm water
3 tsp dry instant yeast
1 tsp sugar
500g bread flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
Method:
1) In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix together the water, yeast and sugar until the yeast dissolves. Allow to sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes until yeast froths.
2) Add the flour and salt and mix using the dough hook for 6-8 minutes.
3) After mixing, the dough should become an elastic, and easily pull away form the sides of the bowl.
4) Remove dough from mixer and place in a bowl. Drizzle the dough with olive oil and rub all over. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit in a warm area of your kitchen for 20 minutes, or until it doubles in size.
5) Take the dough out of the bowl and place on a lightly floured work area. Divide dough into 6 evenly sized balls. Place dough on a lightly floured baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Rest for an additional 15 minutes.
6) Use a floured rolling pin to form each dough into a disc about 10” in diameter. You can also form by hand stretching. If desired, make dimples in the dough with your fingertips.
7) Add a bit of olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Pan-bake each pita for about 3 minutes per side, or until golden. Use a lid to cover the pan during cooking – this will allow the bread to steam slightly. Repeat until all pita are complete!