Pita bread known as the perfect Mediterranean bread for stuffing, dipping, or toasting. Pita bread is one of the many breads that gets overlooked by bakers. They are fairly simple to make. And if I’m being truthful they are just as satisfying to eat as it is to watch them bake. You can see in less than 5 minutes the flatten piece of dough transform into the perfect bread pocket vehicle for stuffing.
For anyone who has never had pita bread before it’s very similar to a wrap but more delicate with a slight amount of chew. It’s perfect for stuffing as mentioned above with falafels, hummus, beans, cheese, lamb, chicken etc. You can also cut them into chips and toss them in an olive oil seasonings mixture. Bake at 425F for 5-10 minutes. So easy and yummy 😋.
Ok back to the recipe, you will need flour ( I use combo of spelt and bread flour, olive oil, lukewarm water, yeast, and salt. You can use a variety of different flour of choice just remember whole grains tend to need an addition 1-2 teaspoon of water. I do recommend using 1 cup of white flour if you choose to use a whole meal flour like spelt. You need the additional gluten for structure and chew.
In addition to being easy to make, they store beautifully in the freezer. Just separate each with a pieces of wax paper or parchment to avoid sticking. I like to freeze these for up to 4-6 months.
Sourdough Discard tip: I used used 20 to 30 grams of my sourdough discard for extra flavor see recipe edits below:
- 188g spelt flour or regular flour
- 217g lukewarm water
- 20 grams discard
- 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
- 120g APF or Bread flour
- 3/4 teaspoon table salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Additional flour for dusting and/or cornmeal/semolina for sliding onto stone
Easy Multigrain Pita Bread in Under 2 Hours
Pillowy soft with a slight chew multigrain pita bread made in under 3 hours. Perfect for your next party or Mediterranean meal.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Combine the whole grain flour of choice, water, and yeast and allow the mixture to rest for at least 10 minutes (or up to 1 hour). This step verifies yeast is active and helps with gluten development by waiting to add salt.
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Add the remaining ingredients and mix. Gently knead by hand until the dough is smooth and supple. You may need additional flour but note dough will be quite sticky at first but should smooth out. Knead for 3-6 minutes.
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Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover until it about doubled in size around 60 minutes.
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Preheat the oven to 450F with a baking stone or sheet pan on the bottom rack. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it into eight pieces -70g each ( or do mini 16 pitas at 35g per pita). Shape each piece into a small ball and allow them to rest for 20 minutes covered.
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Working with two pieces of dough at a time, lightly dust the top of each ball with flour of choice, then roll them into circles about 5.5-6” in diameter.
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Using a semolina, flour, or cornmeal-dusted baking peel or the back of a baking sheet, carefully transfer the two pitas to the stone.
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Bake the pitas for 3 to 5 minutes, until they've puffed and started to turn slightly golden.
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Carefully remove the pitas from the oven and place on cooling rack and repeat with the remaining dough balls.
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The cooled pitas can be stored in an airtight container or plastic bag for several days at room temperature or freeze wrapped for several months.
