Make your own delicious whole grain pita with these readily available ingredients: whole wheat flour (we used King Arthur White Whole Wheat), yeast and water, plus a little salt and a pinch of sugar...NO ADDED OIL. Bake in 450 oven for 5 minutes. Heavenly!
photo and recipe credits: Sue Greet Ishak
Whole Wheat Pita Bread
2 packages active dry yeast several dish towels (I used 6!)
2 1/2 cups warm water 1 or 2 baking trays
1/2 tsp. sugar rolling pin
about 6 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp. salt
1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in 1 cup of the warm water. Add sugar. Let it sit about 10 minutes, until it begins to froth.
2. Stir in the remaining warm water. Add 3 cups of the flour, stirring vigorously. Let this sit 30 minutes, until it begins to froth.
3. Add salt and enough of the remaining flour, stirring until the dough holds together in a ball.
4. Knead on a floured surface about 10 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic, and no longer sticks to your fingers (add flour if needed).
5. Place on a floured baking tray. Sprinkle some more flour on top. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place about 2 hours, until doubled in bulk.
6. Punch down the dough and knead again for about a minute, then divide in half. Cover one half, and divide the other into 8 - 10 lumps of equal size. Using your hands, roll each lump into a ball. Repeat with the others.
7. On a floured surface, flatten each ball with a rolling pin (sprinkled with flour) into rounds about 1/8” - 1/4” thick.
8. Dust with flour and arrange the rounds 1 inch apart on a cloth (dish towel). Cover with another cloth and let sit about 20 minutes at room temperature, until they have risen a bit. (see step 9)
9. Place 1 or 2 baking trays in the oven and preheat at 450 - 500 degrees for 20 minutes.
10. Place 2 - 3 rounds at a time on the hot baking trays. Bake 3 - 5 minutes, or until they puff up like balloons. Repeat with the rest.
11. Wrap breads in a cloth while still hot, or put them in a plastic bag so they stay soft.
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