Foolproof Homemade Pita Draft

Name: Foolproof Homemade Pita
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 7 min
Total time: 2 h 2 min
Yield: 10 pitas
Ingredients: 1 tbsp sugar (1 heaping tbsp); 1 tbsp active dry yeast (1 tbsp); 4 cups all-purpose flour (4 cups minus 1 tbsp); 1½ cups water (1 1/2 cups minus 1 tbsp); 2 tsp salt (2 tsp)

Homemade pita from a simple yeast dough, baked a few minutes in a very hot oven until they puff up and form a pocket.

Prep30 min
Cook7 min
Rest1 hr 25 min
Total2 hr 2 min
Makes10 pitas
KashrutParve

What you need

Amount:10

1 tbsp sugar, 1 heaping tbsp
1 tbsp active dry yeast, 1 tbsp
4 cups all-purpose flour, 4 cups minus 1 tbsp
1½ cups water, 1 1/2 cups minus 1 tbsp
2 tsp salt, 2 tsp

How I make it

Dough

Warm about 1/2 cup (100 ml) of the water until lukewarm but still pleasant to the touch.
Dissolve the sugar in the warm water in a small bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the liquid and stir well until it dissolves.
Leave in a warm spot for about 15 minutes, until the surface is covered with foam.
Put the flour, the rest of the water and the yeast mixture in a stand mixer bowl fitted with the dough hook and knead for about 1 minute.
Add the salt and knead for about 5 minutes, until the dough is soft and elastic but not sticky. If it is too dry, add a little water; if too sticky, a little flour.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave in a warm spot for about 1 hour, until doubled.

Shaping and baking

Preheat the oven to its highest setting (usually 480°F (250°C)).
Punch down the dough and divide it into 10 balls.
On a floured surface, roll each ball into a round about 1/4 inch (1/2 cm) thick.
Place the rounds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover with a damp towel and let rest for about 10 minutes.
Bake on the lowest third of the oven for 5-7 minutes, until the pitas puff up and start to turn golden.
Take them out and immediately (carefully!) put the pitas in a plastic bag and close it.
After about 5 minutes, open the bag and let the pitas cool completely.

What I've learned

The steam in the bag keeps the pitas soft, so the outside doesn't turn hard.

Source: ChefEf (chefef.com)