Wholemeal Pita Bread

Pita is slightly leavened wheat bread, flat, either round or oval, and variable in size…..is among the most ancient of bread : extracted from Wikipedia. It is actually very simple to handmade pita bread at home as it only requires 1 time proofing after which it can be sent to the hot oven. The oven has to be very very hot to ensure that the bread will puff up nicely so that a pocket can be opened after it is cooled down. My hubby loves this flat bread a lot and even request to pack some for him to bring to work!! 

Puffy 'flatbread'?! ^0^

Slit the flatbread to create a pocket for piling in your favourite fillings. Can be used as a pizza base or simply dip in with some hummus! :D

Recipe source : chef in disguise

Ingredient (6 pitas)

• 1 heap tsp instant yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tbsp honey
• 65gm bread flour + 1-2 tbsp extra
• 60gm fine wholemeal flour
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp milk powder
• 1/2 cup warm water

Method

1. Combine yeast with 1/4 cup water, sugar & honey. Wait for the yeast to foam and bubble, 5-10 mins.
2. Combine both flour, salt and milk powder in another clean mixing bowl. Drizzle in olive oil.
3. Using a dough scrapper, evenly mix the flour mixture into the olive oil.
4. Make a well in the centre of the flour and add in the yeast water mixture and 1/2 cup warm water.
5. With the dough scrapper, slowly combine the mixture into a rough dough.
6. Knead the dough till smooth and elastic for about 5-7mins, add in 1-2 tbsp extra flour if dough is too sticky to handle.
7. Lightly oil a bowl and place the dough in. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and proof for 60mins until double in bulk.
8. Punch down dough and knead lightly. Divide into 6 equal portions and rest for 10mins.
9. Preheat oven together with the baking sheet to the highest temperature your oven will go (mine is 250 deg cel).
10. Roll out dough into a flat circle, approx 6"-7". Gently place the dough cirlces on the heated baking sheet. Bake for 3-5 mins till the bread puffs up, thereafter flip the dough on the other side and bake for another 2 mins till lightly brown.
11. Remove the puffed pita bread from the baking sheet and cover with a clean dry towel till the bread cools down. Repeat process till bread dough are all baked, ensure that the oven remains at the highest temperature at all times.
12. Store cooled bread into air-tight containers for 2-5 days or freeze up to a month.

 

This is what happened when the oven temperature is not high enough….flat bread which did not puff up evenly! hahaha…Re-adjust the temperature and re-bake? No it will not puff up again and will turn out hard as rock, which I've tested out  >.<

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest: West Asia hosted by Shannon from Just As Delish