Pita bread is one of those items I grew up with at home. As a matter of fact, I don’t ever remember having anything but pita bread in a variety of different sizes or a crusty loaf of artisan bread. There are two different types of pita breads — one has wafer thin layers that are separated by a pocket of air when the bread is baked, and the other is a more sturdy, soft and pliable flatbread that bakes without a pocket. Both are created to serve as vehicles for delicious fillings, but they are very different in texture.
The pocket pita is the more traditional version seen used in Middle Eastern cuisine where they are made fresh every day. They are thinner and therefore more fragile. If you plan to make sandwixhes by filling the pockets, it is best to eat these the same day they are made when they are soft and pliable. If they are eaten the next day or frozen and thawed, they will be brittle and difficult to use for sandwiches. If you would like to try your hand at making your own pita bread, make sure to check out my recipe and instructions on how to make them.
The pocket-less pita is something that has been around for centuries and used in many different countries under many different names. On the retail end, you may have seen them called pita, flatbread or even naan. These would be used when a sturdier wrapper is required, such as in products like gyros or souvlaki.
I used to tag along with my dad when he would go shopping at the many international stores in the area where we lived. The traditional pocket pitas could be found either plain or coated with a paste made from oil and finely ground spices known as za’atar. Dad always knew when the store received their fresh delivery of bread, and he would coordinate his shopping day around their deliveries to make sure we got some fresh bread before they disappeared. We would always buy several packs of the plain pocket pita for home and a 2-pack of the large za’atar topped pitas to snack on as we made our way home.
I remember first seeing the pocket-less pita many years ago at one of my favorite international markets in Baltimore called Prima Foods. You can usually find it in the freezer section, and it’s the best way to store it once it’s made. The soft, bubbly bread is quickly thawed and brought back to life by coating with a little olive oil and toasting it quickly on both sides in a non stick frying pan. It will become slightly crispy on the outside, but remain soft, tender and moist inside. Fill and then fold it with just about anything you want, or tear it apart and dip it into your favorite dips.
My basic bread dough that I have used for pizza, stromboli and calzone also makes a damn good pocket-less pita. The only changes I made included using the new Red Star Platinum yeast and omitting the oil in the dough. You can add the oil if you like, but remember that oil behaves like a tenderizer and will soften the dough. This result is equally delicious, but the real pocket-less bread should be soft and puffy, but still remain a little chewy.
The new Red Star Platinum yeast is something that I recently tried and loved —but feel free to use whatever yeast you prefer.
The dough is easy to make and proofs quickly. Before you know it, you will have a pile of soft, warm flatbread pita to enjoy. Serve them warm and slather on your favorite spreads or roll them around your favorite fillings. Make sure to make extra, because these will disappear quickly.
Pocket-less Pita Bread (Approximately 12-2 oz pieces)
1 ½ teaspoons Red Star Premium yeast
1 to 1 ½ cups warm water
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon oil for bowl
Additional 4 tablespoons of oil for skillet
When using dry yeast, remember that the yeast must be awakened and fed, so you must always use some sugar in the dough. I do not like to add the sugar or the salt directly into the yeast because if you are not quick enough you can kill the yeast. Instead, make sure to use the procedure I have outlined here. Add the yeast to the bowl of your stand mixer, combine with the warm water and whisk it together until the yeast has dissolved. Next, add the 4 cups of flour and on top of this add the sugar and the salt. Put this to begin mixing with a paddle until everything comes together, and if you prefer, you can then switch to a dough hook. Allow this to beat for about 10 minutes. If you find your dough rising up the stem of the paddle/dough hook, make sure to stop the mixer and pull it back down into the bowl. Once it is ready, add the other 1tablespoons of oil into a large bowl and use your hand to coat the inside of the bowl. Pour the dough into the bowl, cover with plastic and tea towels and allow it to rise until doubled, about 1-2 hours depending on how warm the environment is.
For images to help you with the dough making process, click here.
Once the dough is ready, I always like to scale it out by weighing it so that I know how to portion it out. If you don’t have a scale, just estimate as best you can. I chose to make 2 oz portions, so I measured out all of my dough balls and then spread them out flat with my fingers.
Place a small, nonstick skillet over moderate heat and added 1 teaspoon of oil. You will do this for each piece of dough. If you prefer not to use that much oil, make sure your skillet is seasoned by rubbing the inside of the skillet with a paper towel dipped in a little oil. Make sure to do this with each piece of dough. Place each piece of dough in the skillet and you will see it begin to bubble up and cook fairly quickly.
Using a pair of tong, flip over the bread after 1-2 minutes. They will cook quickly, so keep an eye on them. Cook the other side for about the same amount of time and then remove them to your serving plate.
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