Pita Bread

Ingredients:

1 cup of warm water
2 teaspoons of active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
3 cups of all-purpose flour
1-2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, add warm water and stir in the yeast and sugar. Stir until dissolved. Add 1/2 cup flour and beat. Keep this bowl in a warm place (do not cover) for 15 minutes: the mixture will start to bubble.
2. Next, add the salt, olive oil, and almost all of the remaining flour (reserve about 1/2 cup of the flour for later). Mix until a sticky mass forms. Sprinkle with a little flour, then knead this mixture in a bowl for about a minute.
3. Sprinkle a clean surface with a little flour. Knead for a couple of minutes until smooth. Cover and let the dough rest for 10 minutes, then knead again (a couple more minutes). The dough should be slightly moist; you can sprinkle a little flour (just not too much).
4. Clean the mixing bowl and coat it lightly with olive oil. Place the dough back into the bowl. Turn the dough in the bowl a few times to coat with the olive oil. Next, cover the mixing bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place a kitchen towel on top. Leave the bowl in a warm place for 1 hour (or until the dough has doubled in size).
5. Place the dough on a clean surface. Divide it into 7-8 equal parts and form balls. Cover with a towel and let stand for 10 minutes.
6. Using a floured rolling pin, roll out the first piece into a circle about 20 cm wide and about 5 mm thick. Keep lifting and turning the circle of dough while rolling so that the dough does not stick too much to the table (if it is very sticky, sprinkle a little flour). Repeat these steps with other pieces of dough. Next, select the desired cooking method (oven or pan).
7. If you choose to bake in the oven: Preheat the oven to 250 degrees and put in a baking tray to heat up. Place the rolled out pitas directly on the hot baking sheet (place the pita breads in several stages). Cook for 2 minutes on one side and then, using tongs, carefully flip the pita over to cook for 1 minute on the other side. The pita bread will puff up nicely and will be ready. Remove from the oven and cover the baked pitas with a clean towel (while you bake the rest of the breads).
8. If you choose pan frying: heat the pan over medium-high heat. Check if the pan is hot enough: add a couple of drops of water - the pan is hot enough when the balls of water immediately begin to crackle from the heat. Drizzle a little olive oil. Place one rolled out pita on the pan and cook for 30 seconds until bubbles begin to form. Flip the pita with a spatula and cook for 1-2 minutes on the other side, until large brown spots appear on the underside. Flip again and cook for another 1-2 minutes to brown the other side as well. The pita is ready when, during baking, a pocket is formed in the center of the bread, which can be filled with delicious fillings. However, sometimes using this method the pita may not rise or may only form a small pocket - try gently pressing the surface of the pita with a clean towel. Keep the baked pita covered with a clean towel while you bake the rest of the breads.

Yield: 8 pita loaves
Recipe: themediterraneandish.com