Whole Wheat Pita Bread
Submitted by adriana
Homemade whole wheat pita bread that puffs into perfect pockets in a 500F oven. Yeasted dough with honey, half whole wheat flour for a nuttier flavor. Twelve fresh pitas from one bowl.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
195 minCOOK
5 minREADY
200 minWhole wheat pita bread that actually puffs into clean, hollow pockets is one of those baking milestones. The secret is in the oven. A blistering hot 500°F (260°C) oven flash-steams the moisture inside the dough so violently that the two surfaces separate, creating that signature pocket every pita needs to hold a falafel or be torn for hummus.
This recipe leans on a blend of regular and whole wheat flour rather than 100% whole wheat. The mix keeps the dough tender and pliable while still delivering the nutty, fragrant whole-grain flavor. Honey goes into the warm water with the yeast not for sweetness, but as a starter food to give the yeast a fast, predictable bloom. Once it foams, you know the yeast is alive and ready.
The two rests are non-negotiable. First the dough doubles for one to two hours, then the divided balls relax for 30 minutes before rolling, and the rolled circles get another 30-minute rest before they hit the oven. That last rest is what lets gluten relax and gas develop so the pita pops in the oven. Skip it and you get flatbread, not pita. Serve warm with hummus or stuffed with falafel and tahini.
Pro Tips
- Preheat the oven for a full 30 minutes with the baking sheet inside. A cold sheet means cold dough, which never puffs.
- Roll the circles to a uniform ¼ inch thick. Uneven thickness produces patchy puffing.
- Do not flip or peek during baking. Opening the oven drops the temperature and stops the puff in its tracks.
- Stack the cooled pitas in a clean towel right after baking. The trapped steam keeps them soft and bendable.
Variations
- Brush warm pitas with olive oil and sprinkle with za’atar for a fragrant Middle Eastern flatbread.
- Add 2 teaspoons of dried oregano and a tablespoon of olive oil to the dough for a Mediterranean-style pita.
- Replace ¼ cup of the white flour with chickpea flour for an even nuttier, slightly higher-protein bread.
Ingredients
Directions
Add yeast and honey to warm water in a medium-size bowl; let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Combine the fours and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Pour yeast mixture into center and stir until dough can be gathered into a ball.
Knead dough floured board until smooth.
Place dough in a large, lighty oiled bowl.
Cover with a damp towel and place in a dry, draft-free place until dough had doubled, 1 to 2 hours.
Punch down dough; place on lightly floured board.
Divide dough into 12 equal pieces.
Shape into circles and place on nonstick cookie sheets.
Allow to rest, covered with damp towel for 30 minutes.
On lightly floured board, roll out each piece of dough to a circle, about 5 inches in diameter.
Place on cookie sheets; let stand about 30 minutes.
Bake on middle rack of preheated 500 degree F oven for 5 minutes.
Remove pites from cookie sheets and let cool on rack.
Store in airtight container in refrigerator.
To serve, reheat wrapped in aluminum foil at 350℉ (180℃) Ffor 10 minutes.
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