Basic pita

24 small pita

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
2 cups Warm water
2 tablespoons Yeast
½ teaspoon Sugar
2 teaspoons Salt
5 cups White flour

Directions

Pour water into a large bowl & add yeast. Stir & add the sugar & salt. Gradually add the flour, stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth. Work in another ½ cup of flour with your hands, kneading as you go, until the dough is no longer sticky. Knead on a board for another 5 minutes.

Shape dough into a rectangle. Cut it in half, lengthwise, & divide into 24 portions (or make 12 large pitas). Shape each portion into a smooth ball & place each ball on a floured surface. Cover with a damp cloth. Press each ball flat. With a rolling pin, roll each round from the centre out turning the dough ¼ revolution each roll.

A small pita should be 5 to 5½" in diameter & ¼" thick. (Large ones should be 8" in diameter). Flip pitas over & smooth out any creases.

15 minutes before loaves have finished rising, preheat oven to 500F & warm an ungreased baking sheet. As each loaf is rolled, place it on a floured surface, cover with a dry clean towel & let rise for 30 to 45 minutes. Place pitas on the hot baking sheet. Bake on the bottom rack of the oven until puffed & lightly browned on the bottom, about 4 minutes for small ones & 3 ½ for large ones. If desired, flip the pita over to brown on the other side.

Remove from oven, wrap in dry towels until cool enough to handle.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Virginia Habeeb, "Pita the Great" Submitted By MARK SATTERLY On 11-25-94

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