In addition to being delicious, pita bread is almost endlessly versatile. Its signature pocket makes it perfect for stuffing with falafel, sabich, shawarma, kofta, arayes, and salads, while its warm, pillowy texture is equally delicious when torn and dipped into hummus, matbucha or shakshuka.

Is it easier to pick up a bag of pita from the bakery? Absolutely, and that’s what I usually do. But it’s also convenient to be able to make it yourself if you want/need to. Here's how it's done:

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ tsp dry yeast
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 ⅓ cups warm water
  • 3 ¾ cups flour
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt

Directions

  1. You can do this recipe by hand or in a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment.
  2. Pour the warm water, yeast, and sugar into a medium-sized bowl. Give it a couple of stirs with a spoon.
  3. Add the flour, and when that’s about 50% incorporated, add the salt. Bring the dough together to form a ball and knead by hand for about 10 minutes, or in the stand mixer for 3-4.
  4. Cover the bowl with a towel and leave somewhere warm to rise. You want the dough to double in size. This will take at least an hour, and up to two (depending on the temperature, humidity, your yeast, etc.).
  5. Tip the dough out onto your work area, and divide into 8 approximately equal-sized balls (if the dough feels dry, lightly wet your hands to roll into a neat ball). Cover with a towel and let rise for 20 minutes.
  6. Roll each ball out so that it’s approximately 6 inches in diameter. Cover with a towel and let rise for another 20 minutes.
  7. Heat a heavy pan—cast iron if you have it—over medium heat for a good five minutes. Place the first rolled pita on the pan and cook for about 30 seconds. Flip the pita and cook on the second side for a minute or so. Then flip again and cook on the first side for another couple of minutes. Remove pita from pan and cover with a towel immediately. Continue until all pitas have been cooked.
  8. Note: It usually takes a few tries until your pitas will puff up. If you’re having difficulty, your pan might not be hot enough. You may also need to let them rise more after rolling. But even if you don’t get a pocket, you can still use them for dipping into hummus and other dips, soaking up sauces, etc.

Yields: 8 pitas