Pita Bread/Pocket Bread

Note from Cheri: This round bread with the pocket in the middle is a staple in Middle Eastern cuisines. The breads puff up during baking, then collapse to form the inner pocket. You can stuff pitas with just about any kind of filling for a handy, portable sandwich. Click here for more delicious Middle Eastern recipes. If you are new to making yeast breads, click here for an informative Bread Baking Primer.

2 C warm water 1 tablespoon yeast 2 teaspoons sugar 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 3 tablespoons olive oil

Makes 12 Pitas Place 1/4 cup of water in a small bowl and sprinkle yeast and sugar over the water. Stir to blend and let sit until dissolved. Place flour, salt and oil in a large mixing bowl. Add yeast mixture and remaining water and beat (preferable with a heavy duty electric mixer) until flour is completely integrated. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth, elastic and no longer sticky, adding flour as needed -- about 5-8 minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl and oil top of dough lightly. Cover with a warm kitchen towl and let rise in a warm place until doubles in size, about 1 1/4 hours. Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead to remove the air bubbles. Roll into a log and divide dough evenly into 12 pieces. Pat each piece of dough into a ball, them use a rolling pin to flatten into discs about 1/4 inch thick and 6 inches in diameter. Place discs on a lightly greased baking sheet and let rise, uncovered, until barely doubled in thickness, about 30-45 minutes. Preheat oven to 500° F. and place oven rack in lowest position. Bake the bread, one pan at a time, until puffed and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cool breads on a wire rack.