The Easiest Pita Recipe
Fluffy, delicious pita bread
Equipment
- Frying Pan with a Lid Medium sized
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1⅔ cups water
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast *1 packet
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1½ teaspoons olive oil
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Warm your water for about 30 seconds in the microwave until it is lukewarm (about 105℉). Add sugar and yeast and stir. Let sit for 5-10 minutes, until foamy.
- Add the salt. Then add the flour and mix 1-2 cups at a time. Knead the dough until it becomes an elastic ball that is sticky but manageable with your hands (if you're using a stand mixer, I let my mixer do all this work). You may need to add more flour so that it becomes more manageable.
- Remove your dough from the bowl (or just peel it up from the sides) and add your olive oil. It doesn't have to be exact, just enough to coat the dough. Then let your dough rise until doubled, at least 30 minutes. For overnight rising, see recipe notes.
Portion and Cook
- Lightly flour a work surface. Portion the dough into six approximately equal size balls. Let them rest for 10 to 15 minutes to make them easier to shape.
- Preheat a medium-sized pan with a lid to medium-low heat. Use your hands (or a rolling pin) to stretch a dough ball into an 8 inch circle. Then use your fingers to press dimples into the surface of the dough.
- Lightly grease your pan using olive oil or non-stick spray, and place the dough in the pan dimple-side up. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. Meanwhile, take another dough ball and repeat the previos step.
- Repeat the process until no more dough balls remain. Enjoy!
Notes
Storage
- For Best Freshness – These are incredible straight from the pan. If you want to store them, wrap cooled pitas in foil or place in an airtight container. Keep at room temperature for 1 day or refrigerate up to 3 days.
- Freezing Dough – Shape into balls, coat lightly in olive oil, and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before rolling and cooking.
- Overnight Dough – For even more flavor, you can let the dough rise in the fridge overnight. Simply cover the bowl tightly, refrigerate, and continue with shaping and cooking the next day.
