There is nothing as good as freshly baked whole wheat pita breads straight out the oven
Whole wheat pita breads are something that are so readily available fresh or frozen, that it didn’t occur to me until relatively recently to start making my own. They are so worth the effort though! There is simply no comparison to a fresh pita bread, straight out the oven. So hot that they slightly burn the tips of your fingers, they should be served immediately. Tear them in half and the wonderful pocket inside will puff out steam at you. They will be soft and deliciously moist. Leave them to cool for a few hours and they will still be tasty, but will have lost that little bit of extra magic.
Whole wheat are far superior to white pita breads
Whole wheat pita breads are so much more tasty than their white counterparts. They have more texture and a delicious nutty flavour. In addition, they are much healthier and will leave you feeling more satisfied. The pita dough is quite simply a yeasted bread dough. It is kneaded, proved till doubled in size and then knocked back. After a short resting period, you can then roll it out and cook it. I find I get the best air pockets and texture if I cook the pita breads on a preheated pizza stone or metal tray in a hot oven.
What to serve with your pita bread
These pita breads are an absolutely fantastic addition to a mezes table. They are the perfect scoop for dips such as hummus, moutabbal, muhammara and tzatziki. Apart from this, they are also great as a rustic accompaniment to many Greek or Middle Eastern dishes. Think fasolakia (Greek green beans) or melitzanes imam (Greek stuffed aubergines). Another real favourite in our house, is to stuff the whole wheat pita bread with homemade falafel and various accompaniments.
Fluffy Puffy Whole Wheat Pita Breads
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Ingredients
- 500g wholewheat flour
- 10g instant yeast
- 2 tsp. salt
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. honey or brown sugar
- 250-350ml lukewarm water
- A little extra flour
- A little extra olive oil
Instructions
- Sieve the flour, remove any pieces of plant or twigs in the bran, then add the bran back into it.
- In the bowl of a standup mixer, or a large mixing bowl, add the yeast and salt to the flour. Whisk together to combine and aerate.
- Add the olive oil and rub it in.
- Add the honey or sugar and 250ml of the lukewarm water.
- If using a standup mixer, bring the mixture together using a dough hook on a low speed. Add more water as needed to form a soft dough. It should be slightly sticky and not dry. If you have added too much water, add a light sprinkle of flour. Knead for about 10 minutes on a medium speed, until the dough is smooth and comes away from the sides of the bowl.
- If kneading the dough by hand, bring the dough together in the bowl, adding more water as needed. It should be slightly sticky and not dry. If you have added too much water, add a light sprinkle of flour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled counter, and knead for about 10 minutes. It should be pliable and soft and smooth on the outside.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, and cover with a damp cloth.
- Allow to prove in a warm place for 1-2 hours, until doubled in size.
- Knock the dough back by tipping it onto a floured counter, and kneading it for a minute or two. Weigh the dough, and then weigh off 8-10 evenly sized balls of dough. Cover with a damp cloth and rest for 20 minutes.
- Place a clean baking stone or metal baking tray in the oven. Preheat the oven to 250°C (230°C fan).
- Lightly flour the counter and a rolling pin, and roll each ball into a 3-5mm thick circle with a diameter of approximately 13-15cm. Try to make them all the same size.
- Once the oven is hot, sprinkle a little flour on the hot stone or tray. Place two pita bread quickly on the tray and close the oven. Depending on your oven, you might need to flip them halfway through. Bake them for 5-10 minutes, until they are puffed and turning golden. Immediately remove them from the oven and place them on a cooling rack. Continue to cook the rest of the pita in the same way.
- Eat on the same day, or freeze once cool.
