Specialty Breads- Whole Wheat Pocket Bread ( Pitas)
In the last few years these nifty little breads have become a staple item, and they are available nearly everywhere. A balloon of crisp-soft bread, they are good for filling with anything to make a sandwich, whether it is in the traditional falafel and sliced cucumbers, or more mundane things like soyspread and sprouts. Pita is tasty and doesn't get soggy, and futhermore, as our favorite grand-daughter points out--"Grandma it didn't fall apart"
Almost any plain bread dough can be used to make these, but I will attach our favorite whole wheat pita bread recipe at the bottom, which has been very reliable for us. With the Bosch Universal Plus doing the kneading it usually is done in less than 45 min. If making it by hand you can add twice the years and warmer water and have them on the table in about 2 1/2 hours. (Still faster than making regular bread)
Shaping : Once the dough has been kneaded the rolling, shaping and resting are easy. I like to roll them into about a 5" circle on a floured counter. Do not use oil when rolling pitas as they don't like to be stretched. You then pick them up and turn them over and set them on a dry tea towel. Once I have done a few I cover them with another dry towel. The turn over is important as well. In fact one of our customers remarked that she watched them making pitas in an outdoor oven in Turkey and they did the same thing; rolled them, flipped them on the the resting surface and then when placing on the baking surface we flip them again.
The trick for making good pitas is in getting the baking just right. The breads actually cook inside from the steam they generate as they puff in the oven, so they don't brown much on the top. Depending on your oven, it may take a little experimentation to adjust the heat and paraphernalia to make sure that the pockets get enough bottom heat that they puff, but not so much that they burn.
Baking: If you have a gas stove, you can bake pita on the floor of the oven or on a heavy cookie sheet (not non-stick) on the oven floor. Preheat the cookie sheet along with the oven. Electric stoves are trickier. It's best to heat the oven from the bottom only (don't turn on the broiler). If both elements come on when heating up, try shielding the baking pocket breads from top heat by putting another cookie sheet on the very top rack under the top element. A well-heated oven stone (pizza stone) or tiles can give the immediate bottom heat that is the secret of puffy pockets.
 Pita breads like a very hot oven. I usually turn it up to 450°F. If you have a Convection oven use the Convection Bake Cycle. I have found that pita's also like lots of hot air. You can bake them on a stone as mentioned, a cookie sheet but my real preference is a wire cooling rack that has a close grid so the edges don't fall over. These let lots of air through and give the required bottom heat to get a good puff to the pitas. Again when we pick them off the resting towel, flip them over again onto the baking rack or stone, or cookie sheet. They bake in about 3 to 4 min. so don't turn your back. In fact I use to tell the cooking class customers that it was the most exciting thing to do in our city, to come in and watch the pitas rise and bake. They will actually blow up into little cushions right before your eyes.
The baked pitas should be slightly browned on the top. You can open one up and check to see if the insides are done. They will be moist, but shouldn't look shiny-wet. If you think they need a little more time, you can bake them a bit more on the top rack while the next batch bake on the bottom of the oven. Don't let them get crisp, though, or brown, because they will break when you fill them. The steam inside them bakes them extremely fast, and they will stay soft and flexible when cool.
These are very fast and fairly easy and are definitely worth trying for the great result and taste they have.
WHOLE WHEAT PITA BREAD RECIPE |
Pitas)
into about a 5" circle on a floured counter. Do not use oil when rolling pitas as they don't like to be stretched. You then pick them up and turn them over and set them on a dry tea towel. Once I have done a few I cover them with another dry towel. The turn over is important as well. In fact one of our customers remarked that she watched them making pitas in an outdoor oven in Turkey and they did the same thing; rolled them, flipped them on the the resting surface and then when placing on the baking surface we flip them again. 
Pita breads like a very hot oven. I usually turn it up to 450°F. If you have a Convection oven use the Convection Bake Cycle. I have found that pita's also like lots of hot air. You can bake them on a stone as mentioned, a cookie sheet but my real preference is a wire cooling rack that has a close grid so the edges don't fall over. These let lots of air through and give the required bottom heat to get a good puff to the pitas. Again when we pick them off the resting towel, flip them over again onto the baking rack or stone, or cookie sheet. They bake in about 3 to 4 min. so don't turn your back. In fact I use to tell the cooking class customers that it was the most exciting thing to do in our city, to come in and watch the pitas rise and bake. They will actually blow up into little cushions right before your eyes.
let them get crisp, though, or brown, because they will break when you fill them. The steam inside them bakes them extremely fast, and they will stay soft and flexible when cool. 
