Homade Pita Bread
Ingredients
1 cup water
1 cup apple juice
1 1/2 tbsp yeast, active dry
1/2 tsp salt
5 cup whole wheat flour
6 tsp whole-wheat gluten (opt)
1 yellow cornmeal
Preparation
1. In saucepan, combine water and apple juice and heat just until
warm (about 115 deg). Put warm liquid in large mixing bowl, sprinkle
yeast over liquid and allow to dissolve. Add 2 cups flour and the 6
eeaspoons whole-wheat gluten flour, if desired; beat at medium speed
of electric mixer for 3 minutes. Cover and let rise in warm place
until doubled in size, about 20 min.
2. Add salt, beat in as much flour as can be beaten vigorously by
hand for 6 minutes. Mix as much remaining flour as can be handled
when mixing by hand and enough so that dough can be removed from bowl
onto floured surface. Cover with a towel and let rest for
10 min.
3. Knead gently and rhythmically for 10-15 minutes.
Keeping dough rolled in a ball. add the remaining flour, a little at
a time, kneading after each addition. Be careful not to add too much
flour, or the bread will be dry. Keep dough slightly sticky to the
touch. Cover with a towel and let rest 10 minutes.
4. At this point, the dough may be shaped into pita bread. loaves of
bread, pizza dough, buns, etc. to make pitas, cut dough in half with
lightly floured hands, roll each half into rope 2 1/2 inches in
diameter. Cut each roll into pieces and roll with hands into 2 to 3
inch balls, depending on the desired size of pocked bread.
5. Place each dough ball on flat surface and with a lightly floured
rolling pin, roll out from center until dough forms a circle 1/4 inch
thick. Gently dip bottom of dough in cornmeal and place on back of
cookie sheet. Cover with a towel and let rise at room tempeerature
for 15 minutes.
6. The best way to bake pitas is on flat quarry tiles, which can be
purchased at any rock and stone outlet.
A cast ironskillet turned upside down also works well, but limits
you to making one pita at a time. A thrid option, less satisfactory
than the others but still workable, is a cookie sheet turned upside
down.
7. Place one of the three items mentioned above in the oven and
preheat to 500 degrees. Remove top oven rack for convenience in
removing pitas later.
8. Gently but quickly slip a raised pita onto a spatula and place it
on the hot tile, skillet or cookie sheet. Once it touches the hot
surface, you cannot move it, so aim carefull. Repeat with as many
pitas as your baking method will accomodate. Close oven and bake for
3-4 minutes or until lightly browned. If your baking the pitas on a
cookie sheet you may see very few or perhaps no bubbles appear - do
not overcook just because bubbles are small and not uniform. If
you're using tiles or a cast iron skillet, you will be able to watch
pockets form immediately.
9. Remove pitas carefully from oven with spatula and place on cooling
rack. Cut each pita in half while still warm. If difficult to cut.
Place pita in a damp towel for 5 minutes, and then it will cut nicely.
10. To store: Place in plastic bags, 3 or 4 to a bag, while still
slightly warm to keep soft. May be frozen.
===From: Fabulous Food for Friends and Family by Caviness===
Servings: 25
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