BAKING CHALLENGE, WEEK 4: pitta breads.
Again these aren’t so readily available to us because of their frequent sesame content (although Marks & Spencer and Tesco do sell ones we can have) so, another good reason to be making them.
I don’t know why but I had always presumed that pittas would be really hard to make. And how exactly do you make the pocket in the middle? Well, as it turned out they were quite a breeze, and rather satisfying too. They are made using a basic bread dough, left to rise and then knocked back. Once it’s been portioned you simply roll each out and bake on a pre-heated baking tray for about 3 minutes – and out pops a soft, air-filled pocketed pitta. Wonder how they knew how to do that? Clever little things. These were delicious served with my cannellini bean and rosemary dip (which I will be blogging about soon). I’m really enjoying this bread baking challenge!
Pitta Bread (dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, sesame-free, vegetarian and vegan)
makes 10
- 3 cups of bread flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 tbsp caster sugar
- 2 tsps dried yeast
- 1 1/4 cups warm water
- 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil.
– Sift the flour into a large bowl. Stir in the salt, sugar and yeast.
– Make a well in the centre and pour in the water and oil.
– Bring together and then knead well to make a soft, smooth, elastic dough.
– Lightly oil the bowl. Place the dough in the bowl, cover with cling film and leave to double in size (at least an hour).
– Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Centigrade/Gas mark 6.
– Place a baking sheet/stone on the middle rack and leave to heat.
– Divide the dough into 10 equal sized balls. Roll out to an oval shape.
– Place 3 at a time directly on the baking sheet.
– Bake for 3 minutes, until puffed and starting to turn brown.
– Remove and cool on a wire rack.
7 Responses
Your pitas look beautifully puffed! How thick do you roll the dough out to be before you bake them? I have made these using a basic pizza dough recipe and its tasty but it doesn’t puff very well. Might have to try your recipe instead!
I rolled them out thin… Maybe 1/2 cm? I think placing them on a hot baking sheet helps them puff up 🙂
I need to get back in the kitchen to experiment. I have to avoid yeast which makes things a little more difficult. The weather is cool and a perfect time to be in the kitchen but I can’t get myself motivated to be in there experimenting. Suddenly I will feel like it, and it will be too hot.
Those look so amazingly fluffy and delicious! Good job!
This is going to sound stupid, but I had no idea that pittas were supposed to be so fluffy. I guess I’ve only seen the one’s in the grocery store, which are sad and paper thin. I never understood how someone was expected to stuff anything inside of one; now I get it… Nicely done 🙂
That’s not silly – they’re always flat things here with a mysterious pocket in the middle. Seems like freshly baked versions are puffy delights! 🙂