fluffy pita

for 4 pitas:

500g bread flour

1 tsp sugar or syrup

315g water

10g salt

7g dry yeast

method:

combine water, sugar and yeast, then add flour and salt. knead until the dough is super smooth.

rest for 2-3 hours until doubled in size.

separate 200g pieces, form tightly into balls. rest covered for 10 minutes.

if you don’t want to make all 4 pitas straight away, freeze the leftover dough balls.

to make fluffy flatbread-like pitas:

gently roll out the dough into rounds, about 1 cm thick. rest covered for 15 minutes.

preheat a pan of your choice to medium-high heat. I like to use a cast-iron pan for this, but any will work.

carefully place the pita in the pan, and cook for 2-3 minutes on one side. flip and cook for another minute on the other side, then turn the heat to low and cook for 1 more minute.

repeat with the remaining dough (store baked pitas in a towel to keep warm).

to make pita pockets (for filling):

preheat oven to the highest temperature possible, placing a baking sheet (or pizza stone if you have it) inside.

gently roll out the dough into rounds, about 1 cm thick. rest covered for 15 minutes.

carefully place 1-2 pitas on the baking sheet at a time and bake for 4-6 minutes until puffy. repeat with the remaining dough (store baked pitas in a towel to keep warm).