How To Make The Best Pita Bread At Home

Mireille · 01/19/2018 at 10:12 pm

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Try this recipe and you will not buy pita in the store again. This homemade pita bread is fluffy and soft with pockets just waiting to be filled with delicious veggies, meat, and sauce. So, are you ready to learn how to make the best pita bread recipe at home? Let’s get started!

What You Need For This Recipe

If you want to make this pita bread recipe you need several basic ingredients that I’m sure you have in your pantry or kitchen cabinet. Make sure you have the following pita bread ingredients close at hand:

All-purpose flour
Whole wheat flour
Yeast
Sugar
Salt
Olive oil
Warm water

Note that the full ingredients list, including measurements, can be found in the recipe card below.

How To Make The Best Pita Bread

To make the best pita bread you need to apply 5 steps. If you follow these steps your bread ends up looking so appetizing you want to eat them straight out of the oven.

Step 1

One of the secrets to perfect pita bread is yeast. Use a new packet of fresh yeast so the dough can rise properly.
As soon as you open a packet of instant yeast the quality deteriorates. So, if you use an open packet check to see if it is still active.
You can do this by making a separate yeast mixture and combining the yeast, sugar, and warm water. Stir and let it rest for at least 5-8 minutes.
The warm water and sugar will activate and feed the yeast. So, you will see the mixture froth and bubble slightly. If that is the case you have active yeast.
It’s also possible to make pita bread without yeast.

Step 2

Combine the all-purpose flour and wheat flour in a separate large mixing bowl. These two types of flour are the perfect mix to make perfect pita bread.
The all-purpose flour helps the dough become nice and fluffy. Add the yeast mixture to your flour mixture.
Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes by hand or use your kitchen machine (this will require only a couple of minutes) before you let it rest and proof it in an oiled bowl.
Set the bowl in a draft-free warm spot for at least one hour. You can use a cool oven for this. Make sure you cover the bowl with cling film or a clean cloth.
Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces and roll into an 8-inch circle about ¼ inch thick. Let the pita bread rise for another 25 minutes under some plastic wrap and a wet cloth.

Step 3

The heat of the oven is also very important to good bread. If possible, heat the oven to 500℉/250℃ and if you have a pizza stone preheat the stone in the oven as well.
When the oven is preheated do not put the pita bread in the oven right away. Let the oven run for at least another 10 minutes before you put the pita in the oven.
That way your oven and stone are really hot.
Be aware that these are my oven settings yours can be different so stay close when you start baking your bread and adjust the temperature or cooking time if needed.

Step 4

When the dough is proofed pick up pita bread and turn it upside down before you put them on the pizza stone.
The pita will bake more evenly and the top and bottom pita walls will be just as thick.
Do not crowd your pizza stone. I can fit two pita breads on my stone and put them in the oven. Bake between 3 to 4 minutes.
Because you let the oven warm a little longer the bread will puff up from the first pita bread. If you do not let the oven warm a little bit longer it will take the first pita longer to cook and puff up.

Step 5

When the pita bread is baked and out of the oven put them in a clean kitchen towel to keep warm. Putting them in a kitchen towel will prevent the pita from drying out.
Then heat a cast-iron skillet until really hot and char every pita for about half a minute per side. Either serve the pita breads immediately or let them cool so you can store them.

Tasty Pita Bread Recipe

Pita bread is the best and is such a versatile type of bread. You can eat it with:

Shawarma – this chicken shawarma is the perfect ingredient for dinner
Gyros – in Greece, you have to have gyros and pita a killer combination
Hummus – turn it into a sandwich and add some hummus, avocado, and sun-dried tomatoes to your bread
Roasted tomato salsa – pita and salsa you can easily use this on your bread

You can even roast your pita into chips and eat it as a snack the options are endless. Just like soft vegan flatbread or chickpea flatbread, it makes you wonder why you want to buy pita bread in the store.

Because honestly, homemade tastes so much better! It takes quite some time to make but when you taste this homemade pita bread you know it is worth making your own.

Of course, buying is way more convenient. I get it, I buy them in the store as well. However, I do keep a particular stack in my freezer to use when I want to make my recipe extra delicious.

This applies to my tortilla recipe but also to this pita bread recipe. Buying pita bread in the store is just fine but if you want the most perfect pita bread this is your recipe.

How To Store Pita Bread

You have a couple of options to store your pita bread:

Outside the fridge – if you want to eat the bread within 1 or 2 days you can put them in a closed plastic bag outside of the fridge. The plastic will prevent the bread from going dry.
Fridge – you can also put them in a bag and store them in the fridge for a couple of days.
Freezer – Want to keep them longer put your bread in a freezer bag and store it in your freezer for up to a couple of months.

How To Reheat Pita Bread

You have several ways to reheat pita bread:

Oven – If you are going to eat them sprinkle some water on your bread and wrap them in aluminum foil. Set your oven to 400℉/200℃ and warm for about 5-7 minutes
Toaster oven – If you have a toaster, you can use that as well. Do not set it too warm. Again, sprinkle some water on the bread, toast it for half a minute, and check to see if it is warm.

Recipes You Can Make With Pita Bread

Wondering what to eat with pita and looking for some great pita bread recipe ideas and fillings? Take a look at these tasty recipes:

Greek gyros with pita bread – you can stuff the pita bread with Greek gyros. Gyros are easy to make with pork shoulder and lots of spices
Pita pizza with shrimp and salami – is one of the easiest pizza recipes you can make. These are fun to make with your kids and are great for a lunch or afternoon snack. One pita bread yields two pizzas so get creative with your toppings
Falafel burger with pita taco – you can make a delicious falafel burger with chickpea, chili pepper, spices, and garlic. Half a pita bread and you have two tacos. Add some onion, tomato, or sauce to turn it into a great lunch or dinner
Delicious easy homemade pita chips – you can make pita chips for the weekend or on game night. Combine it with your favorite dips and you have a delicious but responsible snack!
Hummus – pita bread with hummus is a killer combination. Make the hummus yourself you will be in food heaven!
Oven-baked chicken shawarma – seasoned to perfection with this shawarma seasoning and yogurt. Baked in the oven and wrapped in soft pita bread

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How To Make Pita Bread At Home

Mireille

Serves: 8 Prep Time: 80 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Make this pita bread recipe at home. This pita bread is fluffy and soft waiting to be filled with veggies, meat, or sauce.

Ingredients

2 cups of all-purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
2¼ teaspoons yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup luke warm water, 105–110℉

Instructions

Put yeast, and sugar in a small bowl and add warm water. Stir and let it rest for 5 minutes
Mix all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, and salt. Then add the yeast mixture, olive oil, and the remaining water together. Stir with a wooden spoon
Put on a floured surface and knead the dough by hand for 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. Make a big ball
Oil the bowl with olive oil and put the dough in the bowl. Cover the dough with olive oil as well. Put some cling film on the bowl and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
Take the dough out of the bowl and knead it through on a floured surface. Cut into 8 pieces and roll them into 8-inch pita about ¼ thick. Cover with cling film and a wet towel and let it proof for another 25 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 500℉/250℃ and preheat a pizza stone as well. Let the oven heat for an additional 10 minutes to make it extra hot. It helps to let the heat puff up the pita
Pick up a pita and turn it upside down on the pizza stone before you put it in the oven. Let it bake between 3 to 4 minutes. Do not overbake or it will go dry.
Take the pita(s) out of the oven and store them in a dishcloth while you bake the other pita bread
Heat a cast iron skillet on high heat. Char one pita at a time in the skillet for about 30 seconds per side. Cover in a towel until all pitas are charred
Serve immediately

How To Make The Best Pita Bread At Home

What You Need For This Recipe