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Pita Bread




Source of Recipe


King Arthur Flour web site






Recipe Introduction


To be tried soon...





List of Ingredients



• 3 c. flour
  
• 2 tsp. instant yeast
  
• 2 tsp. dough relaxer (optional*)
  
• 2 tsp. sugar
  
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
  
• 1 c. water
  
• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  






Instructions



1. MANUAL METHOD: In a large mixing bowl, or in the bowl of an electric mixer, combine all of the ingredients, mixing to for a shaggy dough. Knead the dough, by hand (10 minutes) or by machine (5 minutes) til it's smooth. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and allow to rest for 1 hour; it will become quite puffy, but may not double in bulk.
   
2. BREAD MACHINE METHOD: Place all ingredients into the pan of your machine, program the machine for Manual or Dough, and press Start. About 10 minutes before the end of the second kneading cycle, check the dough and adjust its consistency as necessary with additional flour or water; the finished dough should be soft and supple.
   
3. Turn the dough onto a lightly oiled work surface and divide it into 8 pieces. Roll two or four of the pieces into 6-inch circles (the number of pieces depends on how many rolled-out pieces at a time can fit on your baking sheet). Place the circles on a lightly greased baking sheet and allow them to rest, uncovered, for 15 minutes, while you preheat your oven to 500 degrees. (Keep the unrolled pieces of dough covered. Roll out the next batch wile the first batch bakes.)
   
4. Place the baking sheet on the lowest rack in your oven, and bake the pitas for 5 minutes; they should puff up. (If they haven't puffed up, wait a minute or so longer. If they still haven't puffed, your oven isn't hot enough; raise the heat for the next batch.)
   
5. Transfer the baking sheet to your oven's middle-to-top rack and bake for an additional 2 minutes, or until the pitas have browned.
   
6. Remove the pitas from the oven, wrap them in a clean dish towel (this keeps them soft), and repeat with the remaining dough. Store cooled pitas in an airtight container or plastic bag.
   
7. Yield: 8 pitas.
   






Final Comments


*Dough relaxer is optional, but it relaxes the dough's gluten, allowing you to roll it into pita shapes much more easily. Also, the bit of baking powder in the Relaxer helps puff up the pitas.