⚠️ Untested Recipe: This recipe hasn’t been tested yet. Measurements and instructions may need adjustment.
These breads are fairly small, smaller than the ones you get at the kebab shop on the corner, but that’s quite practical. If you want larger breads, you can of course make them bigger. The point of pita bread is that you should be able to stuff food into it. That’s why it’s important that the breads split and puff up into balls in the oven. And for them to do that, they must be as even as possible when you shape and roll them. Normally, I think bread should be baked thoroughly and get lots of color, but that doesn’t apply to pita bread. If you bake them too much, they just become dry and break apart.
Ingredients
Dough
- 200 g cold water (2 dl)
- 4 g fresh yeast (just under 1 tsp) or 1.3 g instant yeast
- 12 g olive oil (1 tbsp)
- 6 g salt (1 tsp)
- 3 g sugar (¾ tsp)
- 300 g bread flour (5 dl)
Instructions
Mix all ingredients into a dough in a bowl. The dough doesn’t need to be kneaded, just stirred until it just comes together - either by hand or with a dough mixer. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and let the dough rest for about 45 minutes at room temperature, or 6-8 hours in the refrigerator.
Scrape the dough onto a floured work surface. Divide the dough into 8 pieces. Shape the pieces into smooth balls. Turn the dough balls in a little flour, flatten them slightly, and let them rest for a few minutes on the counter. Roll out the balls until they are just under 1 cm thick and place them on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cover with a tea towel and let proof for about 30 minutes.
Set the oven to 250°C (480°F) well in advance, at least 30 minutes before baking. If you have convection, use it at the same temperature.
Bake the breads in the middle of the oven until they have puffed up and gotten a slight color on the top and bottom, 7-8 minutes. Take them out and immediately wrap them in a towel. If you’re not going to eat them right away, you can put them in a plastic bag once they’ve cooled a bit - this way they stay soft.
Notes
Even thickness: The key to pitas that puff properly is rolling them evenly. Uneven thickness prevents the pocket from forming properly.
Don’t overbake: Unlike most breads, pitas should have just a hint of color. Overbaking makes them dry and brittle instead of soft and pliable.
The puff: The high oven temperature creates steam inside the bread, causing it to puff up and form the characteristic pocket. This happens quickly, so watch them carefully.
Keep soft: Wrap immediately in a towel after baking, then transfer to a plastic bag to keep them soft and pliable.
Cold fermentation option: For even better flavor and convenience, let the dough ferment 6-8 hours in the refrigerator instead of 45 minutes at room temperature.
Size: These are intentionally smaller than restaurant pitas, making them easier to handle and more practical for individual servings. Make them larger if preferred.
Storage: Store in a plastic bag, otherwise they dry out and crack when you try to stuff them. They freeze very well - thaw in the plastic bag to maintain softness.
Effort level: 2 out of 5 - straightforward once you get the rolling technique down.
Convection: Using convection fan helps them puff more evenly.
Source: Bröd, bröd, bröd: recept, råd och genvägar by Martin Johansson