It takes no effort to make these, just a bit of time. My kids love them and they are happy to help me bake. Favourite part? playing with the dough!
From 500 gr of flour you will have 8 large pittas. I make smaller ones for children as well, so from 500gr of flour I will make around 12 pittas different sizes. You can freeze them, toast them – dry them to make your bread crumbs.
All you need is love and these ingredients:
- 1 tsp dried instant yeast
- WARM 270 g water
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 500 g strong white bread flour. I like mixing my flour white and wholemeal (400 white and 100 wholemeal). Kids dont even know 😉
- 1 tsp fine sea salt – use good salt ( I use pink or grey or black) – none of that horrible TABLE salt (which is bleached by the way)
Place yeast, WARM water and sugar in mixing bowl. Mix it for a bit and add oil, flour and salt and then knead until becomes one.
Now this beauty I cover with cling film and leave until double in size. In summer I would leave it in the kitchen but in winter I proof my dough under the duvet. I wrap it all nicely and let it grow
After an hour or so, divide it to 8 pieces, shape each piece to a ball and leave for another 20 min.
After that time roll each ball to a disc.
Place each disk on well floured surface and leave it for anther 15-20 min.
In this time pre-heat the oven to 250°C and put your baking tray in as well. When you are ready place your pittas on the tray (be careful its hot, hot, hot) and bake for 5 min.
I put my baking tray in the middle of the oven, top one usually burns them unless I pay full attention to them during baking- which just never going to happen. You want your pitta to puff up and become golden in colour.
If you have a big tray you can do them all in one go but, if your oven is as small as mine you will have to do two rounds of baking.
As soon as you take them out of the oven cover them immediately with a tea towel, and let them cool down.
That is it your job is done.
ENJOY