Mix the water and yeast together, and let sit for about five
minutes until the yeast is dissolved. Add 2 1/2 cups of the
flour (saving the last half cup for kneading), salt, and olive oil
(if using). Stir until a shaggy dough is formed. Sprinkle a
little of the extra flour onto your clean work surface and turn
out the dough. Knead the dough for about 5-7 minutes, until
the dough is smooth and elastic. Add more flour as needed
to keep the dough from sticking to your hands or the work
surface, but try to be sparing. It's better to use too little flour
than too much. If you get tired, stop and let the dough rest
for a few minutes before finishing kneading. Clean the bowl
you used to mix the dough and film it with a little olive oil.
Set the dough in the bowl and turn it until it's coated with oil.
Cover with a clean dishcloth or plastic wrap and let the
dough rise until it's doubled in bulk, 1-2 hours.
Gently deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured
work surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and
gently flatten each piece into a thick disk. Sprinkle the
pieces with a little more flour and then cover them with a
kitchen towel or plastic wrap wrap until you're ready to bake
them. Using a floured rolling pin, roll one of the pieces into a
circle 8-9 inches wide and about a quarter inch thick. Lift
and turn the dough frequently as you roll to make sure the
dough isn't sticking to your counter. Sprinkle with a little
extra flour if its starting to stick. 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 into a rhythm, you can be cooking one pita while rolling
the next one out.)
While shaping the pitas, heat the oven to 450°. If you have a
baking stone, put it in the oven to heat. If you don't have a
baking stone, place a large baking sheet on the middle rack
to heat.
Place the rolled-out pitas directly on the baking stone or
baking sheets (as many as will fit), and bake for about 3
minutes. I've found it easiest to carry the pita flat on the
palm of my hand and then flip it over onto the baking stone.
The pita will start to puff up after a minute or two and is
done when it has fully ballooned. Cover baked pitas with a
clean dishtowel while cooking any remaining pitas.
Serving
Suggestions
creates 8 pieces of bread
Originally Submitted
9/15/2016
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