Pita Pockets
Pita bread that really puffs up into pockets when cooked at a high heat.
Servings 6 large pita pockes
Ingredients
- 3 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour (385 grams)
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt (7 grams)
- 1 tablespoon sugar (4 grams)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast or active dry** (6 grams)
- 1 ¼ cups warm water (130 degrees if using instant yeast) (280 grams)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for the bowl
Instructions
- Put all of the ingredient in a stand mixer bowl. Mix together with a scraper, then set mixer on stand and knead with the hook for about 5 minutes. This dough should be pretty sticky.
- Rub a second bowl with the olive oil, transfer dough to oily bowl, roll dough around in the bowl to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (an hour).
- Meanwhile, put a cast-iron skillet in the oven and preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
- When the oven is almost (or fully) preheated, punch down dough and shape dough into 6 slightly sticky gobs about 4 oz/114 grams) each. Set the gobs on a parchment lined cookie sheet or tray to rest for about 15 minutes.
- Take one of the dough gobs, and shape it into about a 6 inch round on a surface lightly coated with flour. Use just enough flour to keep it from sticking and try to make sure it is of even thickness. This helps with puff.
- Alternatively, shape your round on a piece of parchment paper.
- With a couple of hot pads, carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and set on the stove, a wire rack or a thick hot pad. Transfer the round of dough to the hot skillet. If using a pizza stone, use a cake lifter or wide spatula to just slide the square of parchment with the dough right onto the stone.
- Quickly put the skillet back in the oven and cook for about 5 minutes. If using a stone, slide the parchment and dough onto the stone and close the oven doow. Repeat with remaining 5 pitas. Makes 6 pitas.
Notes
If using active dry yeast, proof the yeast in water that's about 110 degrees F. With instant yeast, you can use warmer water since the instant yeast is mixed in with the other ingredients.