There is nothing better than homemade bread; wheat pita bread is no exception. They puff up while cooking creating a distinct pocket perfect for stuffing. Ready to fill with your favorite ingredients such as our Falafel recipe. The wheat flour mix ensures a balanced combination of softness and chew.
Wheat Pita Bread, The Flour Matters.
Admittedly I am not much of a baker. Even so, pita bread is a great place to start for new bakers. Without getting too far into the science of bread making, wheat flour takes a much longer rise time. Using wheat flour adds a rustic nutty flavor and a slightly chewy texture. Using a mixture of a “double zero” (00) flour and soft wheat pastry flour creates the best balance of flavor and texture. This is a slow ferment process, so the rise time should be between 4 to 8 hours. We use the slower cold rise process in the refrigerator overnight. Allowing the dough to come up to room temperature the next day slowly is also important. For the most part, when using whole wheat flour, the rise will not resemble a white flour dough. Of course, you could use the standard All-Purpose flour instead of the Soft Wheat. It will rise faster and somewhat easier to work with. However, it will not have the “rustic” flavors you can develop using wheat.
Some Useful Equipment
You can certainly mix the dough by hand, but a Stand Mixer will make quick work of the job. Stand mixers are well worth the investment for anyone who bakes or cooks. Also, depending on the model, there are several attachments the extend this appliance’s usefulness. Click here to see a selection of Stand Mixers.
When it comes to making any bread or pizza, a baking stone is an essential tool. There are several types and sizes but prefer a thick, larger rectangular size. Click here to see a selection of baking stones.
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Wheat Pita Bread
Essential Items
Ingredients
- 400 g "00" Soft Wheat Flour
- 200 g Wheat Pastry Flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1½ cup warm water
- 35 g live active yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer add yeast, sugar, and warm water (heated to 115°F). Allow mixture to sit for 10 to 15 minutes until foamy. Meanwhile, sift and whisk together the flours and salt in a separate large mixing bowl.
- Mix the yeast mixture, olive oil, and ⅓ of the dry ingredients with the flat paddle mixture attachment at a medium-low speed until it forms a thick batter consistency. Switch to the dough hook on medium-low and add the remaining flour mixture until flour is well incorporated and forming a loose ball on the dough hook.
- Transfer dough to a well-floured board and knead the dough for 7 to 8 minutes until the dough is firm, elastic, and holds its shape. Form dough into a ball and place into a large bowl oiled with olive oil. Cover with a warm, damp kitchen towel and allow to rise into a warm area of the kitchen for a minimum of 4 hours. Alternative: Tightly cover with plastic wrap and warm damp towel and refrigerate over-night, Remove the next morning and allow the dough to come to room temperature before continuing to the next step.
- Place pizza stone onto a lower rack in the oven and preheat stone for at least 30 minutes at 450°F. In the meantime, punch down the dough and place the dough on a well-floured surface. Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces and form individual small balls, cover with a damp towel, allow to rest for 10 minutes.
- Using a rolling pin roll out individual balls into 7-inch circles and flattened to a little less than ⅛-inch thick. Flour both sides of the pita dough and place it on the heated baking stone. Bake for 6 minutes until puffed, flip and continue baking for 2 more minutes until slightly browned in spots. Remove from the oven keep warm, wrapped in a kitchen towel. Repeat until all pitas are cooked. TIP: If your baking stone is big enough bake 2 – 3 pitas at a time.
