(702) 877-4237

(702) 8-SPICES

Store Hours:
Monday - Saturday 10AM to 7PM
Sunday 11AM to 5PM

(702) 877-4237

(702) 8-SPICES

Store Hours:
Monday - Saturday 10AM to 7PM
Sunday 11AM to 5PM

Pita Bread

pita bread
Pita Bread

Pita Bread

Pita Bread is a staple bread in the Middle East, similar to Naan, tortillas and other flat breads found around the world. They are all used to hold food, grab food, top with food, and if it has a pocket, fill with food. With pita, you can have Arabic style or Greek style, with Greek being thicker and more bready.

Our Lebanese pita bread is thinner, depending on thin you roll it out. Once you have made pita several times, you’ll figure out how thick you like your loaves to be. They all will have pockets in them, and you’ll be able to use them for stuffing as well as tearing into pieces to scoop up hummus or other grilled foods. Homemade pita bread doesn’t have to look perfect, so if its not perfectly round, that’s alright because that’s how you find it even in the best Lebanese restaurants.

In Middle East cuisine, torn pieces of pita are also used to dip into plain olive oil or with some Mediterranean Oregano sprinkled in it. You will also find Za’atar sprinkled into the oil for dipping. Our house-crafted Lebanese Za’atar recipe is not to be missed. Click HERE.

Another common way to use pita bread in the Middle East is place them on a baking sheet, lightly brush them with a quality olive oil, sprinkle them with Za’atar, then broil for a couple minutes until the Za’atar mixture starts to bubble and the pita starts to get lightly brown. Watch close since it can burn very fast. For our Herbed Za’atar Pita recipe, please click HERE.

We also have a delicious Lebanese Shish Kafta Kebab recipe which is perfect for filling these pitas. Click HERE. We have other Greek and Mediterranean kebab/kabob recipes on our website which make great dishes to go along with your fresh pitas. Enjoy!

Makes 12 large or 24 small Pitas

Ingredients:
2 cups warm water (90ºF to 110ºF)
2 envelopes (¼ oz ea) fresh active dry yeast
½ teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons sea salt
5 to 5 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, add the dry yeast and sugar. Slowly pour in the warm water. Whisk to mix and let the yeast dissolve. Let rest for 3-5 minutes allowing the yeast to activate. Add the salt. Slowly add the 5 cups of flour, constantly mixing it into the water with a wooden spoon until smooth. You can use your hands which can make it easier to blend it in. Using your hands, slowly work in the rest of the flour (up to ½ cup) until the dough is no longer sticky. Transfer the dough onto a well-floured cutting board. Keep kneading for about 5 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Form into a round loaf, place back in the bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in a warm place, away from any drafts. Let rest about 30-45 minutes until it doubles in size.

Turn out the dough onto a board and shape into a rectangle shape, making it easier to portion. Cut the dough in half lengthwise, then cut into 12 portions for larger pitas, or 24 for smaller ones. Shape each dough portion into a smooth ball. Place the portions on a floured surface. Cover them with slightly damp towels while you are ready to roll out them out.

On a floured board, gently press each ball flat on the board keeping it round. With a rolling pin, roll each round from the center to the outer edge, turning a ¼ turn after each roll to keep round. Roll to about ⅛” to ¼” thick if you want it like authentic Lebanese bread. They will be about 8-10″ in diameter. If you like your pita a bit doughier, roll about ½” inch thick, or about 6-8″ in diameter. Carefully turn the dough circles over to smooth out any creases, or you might not get a pocket when they bake. After rolling each loaf, place them on a floured surface and cover with a clean, dry towel so the surface of the loaves don’t get dry.

About 15 minutes before you start rolling out your dough, preheat the oven to 500ºF. At the same time, place an ungreased baking sheet in the oven to warm.

To bake, place 4-6 small pitas or 2-4 large pita on the hot baking sheet. Bake on the bottom rack of the oven until puffed and lightly browned on the bottom and almost white on top, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the loaves over and bake up to 1 minute longer to lightly brown the other side. Watch close so they down burn or get crisp. They should be soft and flexible. The thinner you make your loaves, the less time they take to bake, so keep that in mind.

When baked, remove from the oven, place on a dry, clean towel. Stack them, then wrap them to keep them warm to serve. Store unused pitas at room temperature. We place them in freezer bags to store them. It will keep them soft as well until used. Use within a couple days or freeze them.