Stove Top Pita made with Home Milled Wheat Flour
This was my first try at making pita bread with the wheat flour we mill here...I think it will go better with cast iron next time, but they still came out really well.
First we proof the yeast...2 1/4 t dry active yeast (or 1 packet)
Mix a pinch of sugar into 1 C warm water, then add the yeast. Mix it in and let it sit for a bit until the yeast activates and starts to bubble up some.
Next we make a sponge...Add 1 C all purpose flour (I am using soft white wheat, milled on a pastry setting) to the proofed yeast. Mix it in and let this rest for a while until the yeast grows and the mix becomes a bubbly gel like texture (about 1/2 hour here)
Then we add in
1 1/2 T Olive Oil
1 t Salt
1 3/4 C All Purpose Flour (same flour as above)
Mix well, adding a little flour as needed...but not too much. Just enough to keep it from sticking.
Kneed the dough for 5 - 10 min, until nice and smooth...then ball it up. I drizzle a little olive oil in a bowl, roll the dough in the oil to coat it...cover with a towel and let rise. Let it double in size.
Once risen, punch it down and flatten it out, with as little extra flour as you can. Cut into 8 pieces, then form into small balls and cover to keep the moisture in.
Heat your pan to med high, add a thin coat of oilive oil...
Then again using as little flour as you can, roll out one dough ball to a fairly thin circle, and let it rest for a minute...
Place the round in the pan and let it cook for a couple minutes (you will see some puffing...which is good, that is what we want
Flip it over and cook again for a couple more minutes...it can puff alot now, but this is how the pocket is formed. Roll out the next one while this one is cooking...so it has a minute to rest before putting it into the pan.
I usually flip it once more just to be sure it is cooked through.
Stack them up as they are done, and cover with a towel...
And that is it :)
These do freeze well, so making a double batch is fine...
#food #homemilledflour #pitabread #recipe