Mediterranean Pita Bread Recipes

MEDITERRANEAN VEGETABLE PITAS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk the first six ingredients until blended; if desired, stir in cayenne. Add tomato, cucumber, onion and olives; toss to coat. Refrigerate until serving., To serve, add lettuce to vegetables; toss to combine. Spoon into pita halves; sprinkle with cheese.

HOMEMADE PITA BREAD RECIPE

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl add 1 cup lukewarm water and stir in yeast and sugar until dissolved. Add 1/2 cup flour and whisk together. Place the mixing bowl in a warm place, uncovered to form a lose sponge. Give it 15 minutes or so, the mixture should bubble.
• Now add salt, olive oil and almost all the remaining flour (keep about 1/2 cup of the flour for dusting later). Stir until mixture forms a shaggy mass (at this point, the dough has little to no gluten development and just looks like a sticky mess and you can easily pull bits off). Dust with a little flour, then knead the mixture inside the bowl for about a minute to incorporate any stray bits.
• Dust a clean working surface with just a little bit of flour. Knead lightly for a couple minutes or so until smooth. Cover and let the dough rest for 10 minutes, then knead again for a couple more minutes. The dough should be a little bit moist, you can help it with a little dusting of flour, but be careful not to add too much flour.
• Clean the mixing bowl and coat it lightly with extra virgin olive oil and put the dough back in the bowl. Turn the dough a couple times in the bowl to coat with the olive oil. Cover the mixing bowl tightly with plastic wrap then lay a kitchen towel over. Put the bowl in a warm place. Leave it alone for 1 hour or until the dough rises to double its size.
• Deflate the dough and place it on a clean work surface. Divide the dough into 7 to 8 equal pieces and shape them into balls. Cover with a towel and leave them for 10 minutes or so to rest.
• Using a floured rolling pin, roll one of the pieces into a circle that's 8-9 inches wide and about a quarter inch thick. It helps to lift and turn the dough frequently as you roll so that dough doesn't stick to your counter too much. (If dough starts to stick, sprinkle a tiny bit of flour). If the dough starts to spring back, set it aside to rest for a few minutes, then continue rolling. Repeat with the other pieces of dough. (Once you get going, you can be cooking one pita while rolling another, if you like). You have two options for baking the pita from here.
• Heat the oven to 475 degrees F and place a heavy-duty baking pan or large cast iron skillet on the middle rack to heat. Working in batches, place the rolled-out pitas directly on the hot baking baking sheet (I was only able to fit 2 at a time). Bake for 2 minutes on one side, and then, using a pair of tongs, carefully turn pita over to bake for 1 minute on the other side. The pita will puff nicely and should be ready. Remove from the oven and cover the baked pitas with a clean towel while you work on the rest of the pitas.
• To cook pita on stovetop: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. (Test by adding a couple drops of water to the skillet, the skillet is ready when the beads of water sizzle immediately). Drizzle a tiny bit of extra virgin olive oil and wipe off any excess. Working with one pita at a time, lay a rolled-out pita on the skillet and bake for 30 seconds, until bubbles start to form. Using a spatula, flip the pita over and cook for 1-2 minutes on the other side, until large toasted spots appear on the underside. Flip again and cook another 1-2 minutes to toast the other side. The pita is ready when it puffs up forming a pocket (sometimes, with this method, the pita may not puff or may only form a small pocket. Try pressing the surface of the pita gently with a clean towel). Keep baked pita covered with a clean towel while you work on the rest.

PITA BREAD

Steps:

• Make the dough:In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, yeast, honey, and 1 cup warm water until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm spot until doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes. Stir in remaining 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, salt, oil, and remaining 1 1/4 cups warm water.
• Transfer dough to a floured surface. Knead dough, dusting hands and surface with more flour as needed, until smooth and elastic, 10 minutes. Transfer to a large oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover and let rise again until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
• Form and bake the dough:Punch down dough, and form into a ball; then turn out onto a floured surface.
• Quarter dough. Working with one piece at a time (drape a kitchen towel over the rest), divide each quarter into 4 smaller pieces.
• Roll each piece into a ball and pinch, tightening the ball. Turn pinched-side down and flatten with your palm.
• Flatten each ball into a 6-inch round with a lightly floured rolling pin.
• Transfer rounds to rimmed baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal; drape with kitchen towels. Let rest 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 500 degrees and set an inverted rimmed baking sheet on rack in lowest position. Place 4 dough rounds on preheated sheet. Bake until puffed, 2 minutes. Flip and bake until golden in spots and just cooked through, 1 minute more. Transfer to a basket lined with a kitchen towel; cover to steam and keep warm. Bake remaining pitas and serve.

MEDITERRANEAN PITA BREAD

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl soften yeast in warm water.
• Add 2 cups flour, shortening and salt.
• Beat at low speed of electric mixer for 1/2 minute, scraping bowl.
• Beat 3 minutes on medium.
• Stir in as much remaining flour as you can mix in with a spoon.
• Turn onto a lightly floured work surface.
• Knead in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough that is smooth and elastic.
• Cover, and let rest in a warm place about 15 minutes.
• Divide into 12 equal portions.
• Roll each piece with floured hands into a smooth ball.
• Cover with a damp cloth, let rest 10 minutes.
• Using fingers, flatten balls.
• Cover, let rest 10 minutes.
• On a well floured surface lightly roll one piece of dough at a time into a circle 6 inches in diameter, turning dough over once.
• Do not puncture or tear dough.
• (Work with enough flour so dough does not stick) Place on baking sheet.
• Bake one sheet at a time, in a 450 F oven about 3 minutes or until dough is puffed and softly set.
• Turn with a spatula, and bake 2 more minutes until dough is light brown.
• Repeat with remaining dough, baking one batch before uncovering and rolling the next.
• To serve, slice bread crosswise and fill the pockets with a filling or cut into wedges and pan fry to a crisp for dipping.