Thursday, January 31, 2013

Wimbush Family Pita Bread

Well...this was a recipe that I found on Pinterest and have now made about three times.  We have always been a fan of pitas.  We like to use them as pizza crust or stuff them and have a yummy sandwich for lunch.  Never again will I buy a store bought pita.  These do not even compare.  I have made one change to the original recipe.  The original recipe instructs you to bake the pitas for 10-15 minutes at 425*,  After following a friend's advice, they worked far better when baked for 5-6 minutes at 500*.  I also spritzed a bit of water into the oven before I put the pitas in.  It resulted in a much moister pita.
Just as another side note  my first batch did not puff up very nicely.  It is really necessary to make sure they are an even thickness in order for them to be able to puff up.  They really are amazing to watch.
Without further ado...here is the recipe:

Wimbush Family Pita Bread



1 tablespoon yeast
1 ¼ cup warm water

1 teaspoon salt
3- 3 ½ cups flour

Dissolve yeast in water for about 5 minutes in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add salt and 1 ½ cups flour and with the dough hook, beat to make a batter. Add additional flour until a rough, shaggy mass is formed. Knead 8 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. Add more flour if it is too sticky.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into six pieces for large pitas or ten for smaller. I make all sorts of sizes to suit different snacks and meals. Form dough into balls, then flatten with a rolling pin into ¼ inch thick discs. Try and keep an even thickness as this is what helps them ‘puff’.
Let rest on the floured surface 30-40 minutes until slightly puffed.
Preheat oven to 425F.
With a large spatula, flip the rounds of dough upside down on to a b
aking sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes until light golden (My change - Bake 5-6 minutes at 500*). Stick around for the first five minutes of baking when the pitas perform their magic and puff up from flat pancakes to proud, four inch high pitas.
These store for up to two days well wrapped or frozen for three weeks.

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