Pita style bread

Pile of cooked breads

I promised to post some recipes, and I mentioned some lovely recipes I had made. Here is the first for a lovely pita style bread. I won't say it is pita bread, because I just made them on the spot without any real recipe, but they did the job, and tasted wonderful.

There is a slight problem with me coming up with things on the spot, any measurements probably won't be accurate since I just guess afterwards. For this it doesn't matter too much, the recipe would be constantly changing due to weather, flour, or whatever. Dough recipes tend to be like that, so it's best to start with a rough number to follow then adjust until it "feels right". This should be a particularly dry dough, we don't want the inside to puff up like bread, we want a nice pocket of air with some gorgeous tasting bread around it.

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Pita Style Bread

by Matt Conlan.

Tasty bread pockets

Prep time: 1h0m (Might take a little longer or a little less time)
Cook time: 0h10m
Total time: 1h10m
Yield: 4 - 8

Ingredients

• 500g Flour
• 1 Tbsp Active dry Yeast, or can be replaced with 7g instant yeast
• 1 Tsp Sugar, if using active dry yeast
• 300ml Water, you may not use all of this, or you might need some more, it all depends on your dough.
• 1 Tbsp Cinnamon Powder, it seemed a load when I was putting it in, but it weighs almost nothing. This is a rough guess.
• 1 Tsp Salt
• 1 Tbsp Softened butter

Cooking Directions

1. If using active dry yeast, proof the yeast by adding the sugar to about 150ml of lukewarm (neutral to the skin) water. You will get the best results by following the instructions for proofing the yeast on the packet it came from.
2. After 15 minutes the yeast should be frothy. Add the yeast to the flour and butter in a large mixing bowl.

   

   Flour and butter before adding the yeast

3. Stir until combined, adding more water if neccessary to bring it to a soft but dry dough, it should not be sticky.
4. Add in the salt and cinnamon, then knead the dough lightly for about 5 minutes.
5. Put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover lightly with a tea-towel or cling film, and leave to rest until doubled in size.
   

   

   Fully risen dough

6. Once risen, scoop the dough onto a lightly floured or oiled work surface. I floured my chopping board with a mix of flour and cinnamon for this.
7. Pre-heat the oven or grill to a medium hot heat (about 200C). Knead lightly again for 5 minutes, roll out into a rectangle and roll up into a log. Cut the log into thick slices.

   

   Rolled up dough slices

8. Roll out the dough almost thin. Place on a warm baking tray.

   

   Rolling out dough slice

   
   
   
   
9. Cook until it puffs up. Turn over and cook for maybe 30 seconds more.

   

   Rolled out dough slice

   
   
   
   

As you can see, I use a glass bottle instead of a rolling pin. It isn't a wine bottle, but the empty bottle of some olive oil. I stripped off the stickers, cleaned it, and use it as a rolling pin. It works wonderfully and is very easy to clean. Not to mention that it is pretty cold, so it is good for rolling out pastry too.

I think this has been my most picture filled post yet, my next post won't have so many pictures unfortunately, but it will show how I used these wonderfully soft pocket breads.

Almost finished my university course. Rushed and nervous! Hope it all works out in the end though.

Author:

Matt Conlan