Homemade Pita Bread

As of lunch today, I have made these successfully twice, so it is time to share.

Now, I am a bad blogger in that I forgot to take pictures of the first few steps.  So let's pretend that there is a picture of the ingredients

HERE!

1 tablespoon yeast

1 ¼ cup warm water

1 teaspoon salt

3- 3 ½ cups flour



Dissolve yeast in water for about 5 minutes in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add salt and 1 ½ cups flour and with the dough hook, beat to make a batter. Add additional flour until a rough, shaggy mass is formed. Knead 8 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. Add more flour if it is too sticky.

And as it is mixing up, what "shaggy dough" looks like

HERE: Shaggy

Run it in the mixer for 8 minutes to knead it.  (or knead it by hand for 8 minutes-your choice)

Turn out on a floured (clean) counter.  And pull into 6-10 balls. 

Roll out to circles about 1/4 inch thick and let sit for 30 minutes.

In the last 5 minutes of the dough resting, it will get a bit puffy.  Heat your oven to 425*

Flip your round pita upside down on cookie sheets or pizza pans, whatever you can find.  Put them in the oven and watch for the first 5 minutes.  OK, you don't HAVE to watch them, but it's a kick to watch them puff up like balloons!!

Bake for 15-20 minutes. 

Take out and make pita pocket sandwiches (I filled ours with chicken salad with grapes), or use with dip.  If you have any that make it to a day old, you can use them to make awesome little pita pizzas!

This picture taken by Boy