Yet another reach into the world of yeast. I am super excited at how well these turned out. I've never even attempted anything like pita so the fact that they're perfect is due to Cooking Light's excellent test kitchen. They're not quite the COSMIC pita I could get at the Middle Eastern bakery in Brooklyn, but they're a far cry from the sawdust rounds I usually buy at the grocery store, and worth the little extra effort. I found them slightly bland so ended up sprinkling salt on some for a little extra flavor. I like to fill pita with sandwich fixings or chicken salad, but when I made these we had them for dinner with Mediterranean Turkey Burgers - really awesome and easy. Make the patties oval and half fits in half a pita perfectly.
1 T sugar
1 pkg dry yeast (about 2 1/4 tsp)
1 cup plus 2 T warm water (100-110 degrees F)
1o ounces bread flour (about 2 1/4 cups)
4.75 ounces white whole-wheat flour (about 1 cup), divided
2 T 2% Greek-style yogurt
1 T extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 tsp salt
Olive oil cooking spray
1. Dissolve sugar and yeast in 1 cup plus 2 T warm water in a large bowl, with a pinch of sugar. Let stand 5 minutes. Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add bread flour, 3 ounces (about 3/4 cup) whole-wheat flour, yogurt, oil, and salt to the yeast mixture. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead dough until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add enough of remaining whole-wheat flour, 1 T at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel sticky.) Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts, for 45 minutes or until doubled.
2. Position the oven rack on the lowest shelf.
3. Preheat oven to 500F.
4. Divide dough into 8 portions. Working with one portion at a time, gently roll each portion into a 5 1/2-inch circle. Place 4 dough circles on each of 2 baking sheets heavily coated with cooking spray. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, at 500 for 8 minutes or until puffed and browned. Cool on a wire rack. Makes 8 pitas
Recipe from Cooking Light, March 2009
1 comment:
These are great! Super easy, and sooooo delicious. I cranked a little sea salt on them before baking and they were perfect! We stuffed them with pork souvlaki and greek cucumber salad and it was the perfect summer meal.
You probably have a more authentic souvlaki recipe from your middle east-traveling relations, but I've been loving this simple one:
http://www.mycookingblog.com/post/1-raventx1/15122/Pork-Souvlaki-Menu-for-6
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