Pita Bread Recipe

Makes 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes (or up to 6 hours)

INGREDIENTS:

2 ¼ cups|300 grams all-purpose flour
1 (¼-ounce|7-gram) packet active dry yeast
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 ¼ teaspoons sugar
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons warm water
2 tablespoons olive oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine the flour, yeast, salt, sugar, 1 cup of the water, and the olive oil in a food processor. Pulse just until a ball forms. With the machine running, stream in the remaining 3 tablespoons water and process for 1 minute. The dough should be loose and sticky. Scoop the dough into a large bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Let rise at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes, or until doubled in volume. 
2. Place a baking stone or upside-down baking Sheet on a rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 500°F (or as high as it will go).
3. Once the dough has finished rising, transfer to the refrigerator and let rest for at least 15 minutes or up to 3 hours. Remove and scrape the dough onto a lightly floured board. Pat it into a log shape, then cut it into 4 equal pieces using just enough flour to keep it from sticking. Form each piece into a round by gently tucking the edges underneath, making sure to smooth the top. Transfer the whole board to the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes or up to 2 hours to relax the dough.
4. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and use a rolling pin or the palm of your hand to gently flatten each round into a 4- to 6-inch disk. The dough will be sticky, but resist the urge to douse it in flour. The less you prod it or weigh it down, the better. The key is to not roll or flatten the rounds too much, so the dough is airy enough to form a hollow pocket.
5. Place the disks on the hot stone or baking sheet in the oven and bake for 3 to 5 minutes, or until they are puffed and light brown on top. Remove the pitas from the oven and wrap them in a kitchen towel for 5 minutes before serving.

Reprinted with permission from Israeli Soul: Easy, Essential, Delicious by Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook. Copyright © 2018 by Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook. Published by Harvest House Publishers.  

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