Pita Bread Using The Master Recipe 309834 Recipes

PITA BREAD

Steps:

• Combine the water, yeast and sugar in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup; stir gently to mix. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Stir the olive oil into the yeast mixture. Sift together the flour and salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the yeast mixture. Stir together until a wet dough forms.
• Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until the dough is smooth and bounces back when pressed, about 10 minutes. Form the dough into a large ball.
• Oil another large bowl and add the dough, turning to coat. Cover with a clean towel and let rise until doubled in size, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Set a pizza stone or pizza steel on a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 475˚ F. Form the pita: Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a log, about 8 inches long; cut the log crosswise into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. Cover with a clean towel and let rest 15 minutes. Roll out each dough ball to a scant 1/4-inch thickness, 6 to 7 inches in diameter.
• Brush off any excess flour from the dough rounds. Place the rounds on the hot pizza stone, 2 at a time, keeping the remaining rounds covered with the towel. Bake until puffed and slightly golden, 5 to 6 minutes if using a pizza stone or 3 to 4 minutes if using a pizza steel. Remove from the oven; stack the pitas and wrap in a clean, dry towel so that they remain soft while you make the rest.

NAAN (NO-KNEAD)

Steps:

• Use the refrigerated pre-mixed dough for No-Knead Flatbreads Recipe #387518 or Recipe #309834.
• Remove the selected dough from the refrigerator. Lighly dust the surface with flour and cut off a 1/4 pound (peach size) piece.
• With lightly floured hands quickly shape dough into a ball by streching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter turn as you go.
• Using your hands and a rolling pin, andd minimal flour, roll to a uniform thickness of 1/8 inch throughout (about 8 inch diameter).
• Heat a heavy cast-iron skillet over high heat on the stovetop. It's ready when water droplets flicked into the pan skitter across the surface and quickly evaporate.
• Add the ghee or oil to the hot pan.
• Drop the rolled dough round into the skillet, decrease the heat to medium, and cover the skillet to trap the steam and heat.
• Using a spatula check for doness at about 3 minutes, or sooner if deemed necessary. Watch cafrefully and adjust heat as needed.
• Flip the naan when the underside is richly browned.
• Continue cooking another 2 to 6 minutes, or until it feels firm and the second side has browned.
• Remove from the pan and brush with butter if the dough was cooked in oil.
• Serve warm.

CHEF JOHN'S PITA BREAD

Steps:

• Place yeast into the work bowl of a stand mixer and add 1 cup warm water and 1 cup flour. Whisk together and let stand 15 to 20 minutes for mixture to rise and make a loose sponge. Mixture will bubble and foam.
• Pour 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and salt into sponge; add 1 3/4 cup flour. Mix at low speed, using a dough hook attachment, until dough is soft, supple, and slightly sticky. If dough sticks to the sides of the bowl, add up to 1/4 cup more flour, a little at a time.
• Knead dough with machine on low speed until slightly springy and still soft, 5 to 6 minutes. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface and form into a ball.
• Wipe inside of bowl with 1/4 teaspoon olive oil. Turn dough around in bowl to cover with a thin film of oil; cover bowl with foil and let sit until dough has doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Remove dough from bowl and place onto a floured work surface. Lightly pat into a flat shape about 1 inch thick. Use a knife to cut dough into 8 pieces.
• Form each piece into a small round ball with a smooth top, pulling dough from the sides and tucking the ends underneath the bottom.
• Cover dough balls with lightly oiled plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle a small amount of flour on a work surface and top of a dough ball; gently pat dough ball flat with your fingers, forming a flat, round bread about 1/4 inch thick. Let dough round rest for 5 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough balls.
• Brush a cast-iron skillet with remaining 3/4 teaspoon olive oil and place over medium-high heat. Lay pita bread into hot skillet and cook until bread begins to puff up and bottom has brown spots and blisters, about 3 minutes. Flip, cook 2 more minutes, and flip back onto original side to cook for about 30 more seconds. Pita bread will begin to puff up and fill with hot air. Stack cooked breads on a plate; when cool enough to handle, break breads in half and open the pocket inside for stuffing.

HOMEMADE PITA BREAD

Steps:

• Pour water into the bowl of an electric mixer. Sprinkle yeast over water, and stir to dissolve. Use the paddle attachment to mix in 1 1/2 cups flour. Cover bowl; let sit in a warm place for about 1 1/2 hours, until dough has doubled in bulk.
• Sprinkle salt over flour and yeast mixture, and add olive oil and remaining 1 1/2 cups flour. Mix on medium-low speed until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer dough to a floured work surface, and knead about 10 turns, forming a ball. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until dough has doubled in bulk, about 1 1/4 hours.
• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Turn dough out onto a board, and cut in half. Cut each half into four pieces, and form each piece into a ball. Cover them loosely with a piece of plastic wrap to keep the dough from drying out. On a floured work surface, roll two balls into circles 7 inches in diameter and slightly less than 1/4 inch thick. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet until puffed and light brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Repeat, baking two pita breads at a time.