Pita Bread is a leavened Middle Eastern flatbread traditionally made with flour, yeast, water and salt. This homemade version uses whole wheat flour along with yeast, olive oil and sugar to make soft, light pita breads with classic pockets. The bread can be cooked on a skillet or baked in the oven. These vegan pita breads are perfect for wraps, sandwiches or serving with dips.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 90 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Total time: 120 minutes
  • Yield: 10 · 10 Pita Bread
  • Category: Breakfast, Brunch
  • Cuisine: Lebanese, World

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon instant yeast
  • 1 pinch raw sugar (or white sugar)
  • 1 to 1.25 cups water (or add as required)
  • 3 cups or (360 grams) whole wheat flour
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Method

Preparing dough

  1. Firstly take the instant yeast and sugar in a stand mixer bowl or in any bowl in which you will knead the dough. Pour 1 to 1.25 cups water and mix very well with a spoon.
  2. Add 3 cups whole wheat flour, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix everything with wooden spoon.
  3. Then using the hook attachment of the stand mixer and begin to knead. Initially you will find the dough sticky, but continue to knead and you will see the extra water will be absorbed by the flour. Knead to a smooth, suppled and soft dough.
  4. Rub or brush some water or olive oil all over the dough. Keep it in the same bowl covered loosely with a kitchen towel for 45 minutes or 1 hour until the dough has doubled in volume and size.

Assembling, shaping and rolling dough

  1. Deflate the dough gently and knead lightly. Make into a log shape and cut equal portions from the dough. Keep these covered again for 10 minutes. Keep the dough balls covered all the time so that they don't dry out. You can even pinch portions from the dough and roll them into balls.
  2. Meanwhile place a baking tray in the oven. Then preheat oven at 230 degrees celsius for 20 minutes.
  3. Take each dough portion and shape into a ball. Keep it on the work surface and sprinkle some flour on it as well as on the dough ball. Roll evenly into a 5 or 6 inches round shape. You can also make them oval shaped if you want. Keep the bread a little thick while rolling.
  4. Keep these rolled discs covered loosely for 10 minutes more.

Bake Pita Bread In Oven

  1. Carefully remove the tray with oven mittens. Sprinkle some flour and place the rolled discs on it. Use oven mittens when removing and placing the baking tray from the oven.
  2. Using oven mittens, place the tray back in the oven. Bake at 230 degrees C for 7 to 10 minutes. If using a convection oven, then preheat as well as bake at 200 or 210 degrees celsius. Note that the baking time will vary from oven to oven.
  3. The pita bread will nicely puff up in the oven. Once they are puffed up and have a pale golden color, remove the tray. With a spatula remove the pita bread and place on a wired rack.

Stovetop Method

  1. Heat a cast iron skillet or a frying pan on medium-high flame.
  2. Sprinkle some flour on the pan and it should get browned. This means that the pan is hot. Use a heavy pan so that the pita bread does not burnt from the bottom. Before you place the rolled dough on the pan, brush off or remove the browned flour from the pan with the help of a cotton napkin.
  3. Place the rolled pita bread disc on the pan or skillet.
  4. Cover with lid for 1 to 2 minutes.
  5. Turn over and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more till the pita bread is done and has brown spots appearing on both sides. Roast all pita breads this way.
  6. Stack pita bread and store them in a kitchen towel or bread box. Just slice the pita bread into two. You will see the pockets. Stuff the pockets with a filling of your choice and your pita sandwich is ready.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.