Pita Bread

I use a cast iron flat bottomed griddle pan to cook these pitas.  I do it outside on the side burner on my barbecue grill.  I am able to achieve the high heat and the smoke does not fill the house.  The pitas are soft and delicious.

Bread Machine Pita Bread

1 ½ pound loaf	1 pound loaf
1 1/8 cups water	3/4 cup water
3 cups all purpose flour	2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt	½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon oil	2 teaspoons oil
1 ½ teaspoons sugar	1 teaspoon sugar
1 ½ teaspoons instant yeast or active yeast	1 ½ teaspoons instant yeast or active yeast

Place all ingredients in bread machine pan.

Select Dough Mode.

When dough has risen long enough, the machine will beep.

Turn off bread machine, remove bread pan and turn out dough on floured countertop or cutting board.

Using a bench scraper or knife, cut dough in 8 pieces for the 1 ½ lb loaf or cut the in 6 pieces for the 1 pound loaf.

Roll each section into a ball.

Roll each ball into a 6 or 7 inch circles.

Set each circle on a lightly floured board and cover with a lint free towel.

Let dough rise for 15 minutes.

Heat a heavy duty flat bottomed square grill pan, fry pan, cast iron pan.

Heat grill pan over high heat.

Brush circle of dough with olive oil and place face down on hot pan.

When pita starts to puff, brush with olive oil and turn to cook other side.

Cook until pita puffs and is browned.

Remove to a rack and cover the cook pita with the lint free towel.

Repeat with the rest of the pitas storing under the towel.

Serve immediately.

*I do this outside as the pan needs to be very hot to the smoke point.

Oven Method

Let pitas rise for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 500F.

Preferably on a baking stone with a rack on top or just a rack place 2 to 3 pitas on the heated rack.

Bake pitas 4 to 5 minutes until puffed and browned.

Remove from oven, place on rack, and cover with a damp lint free towel.

Serve once pitas are softened.

Pitas from the oven back in 2010