Pita Bread Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup of warm water (about 105 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit)
• 1 packet of quick rise yeast
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon more

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water. Allow it to sit, covered, for about five minutes, or until the yeast bubbles.
2. Stir in 2 1/2 cups of the flour, the salt, and the 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Mix until it forms a ball.
3. Sprinkle a clean work surface with some of the remaining half cup of flour (or more if needed). Turn out the dough and knead it until it is smooth and elastic, about seven minutes. Add more flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking. You'll use more on damper days or when humidity is higher.
4. Brush the inside of a glass bowl with the remaining teaspoon of olive oil. Put the dough in the bowl and turn it to coat with the oil. Cover and allow the dough to rise in a warm location until doubled, one to two hours.
5. Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide it into 8 pieces and form them into balls. Cover and rise for about 30 minutes more.
6. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a baking sheet in to heat as the oven heats.
7. Lightly flour your work surface again, as well as a rolling pin. Working one at a time, roll each of the balls into an 8-inch round that is about 1/4 inch thick. If the dough is too springy, cover it and let it rest for a few minutes more before you continue rolling.
8. As you roll one pita, you can bake another. Put the rolled pita onto the hot pan and allow it to bake for three minutes. The pita will puff up. When it is fully puffed, remove it from the oven and cover it with a towel as the other pitas bake to keep it warm.

Eating and Storing

Pita tastes best when it's eaten warm and fresh. However, if you have leftover pita rounds, you can store them in a tightly sealed zipper bag at room temperature for about five days. You can also refrigerate uncooked, unrolled rounds wrapped in plastic. Bake them within one week, allowing them to rest on the counter for about 30 minutes before you roll and bake them.