Homemade Pocket Pitas - From the Test Kitchen

flour

🥗Healthier: whole wheat flour

💰Cheaper: all-purpose flour

Whole wheat flour is more nutritious, while all-purpose flour is often less expensive.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: vegetable oil

Avocado oil has a higher smoke point and is healthier, while vegetable oil is usually cheaper.

Make a slurry with 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 2 packets of active dry yeast, and 1 cup of water at approximately 110°F.

Add 1 tablespoon of honey to the slurry and whisk until smooth and combined.

Cover the slurry with plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm draft-free place for about 30 minutes until bubbly and doubled in size.

In a large bowl, combine the bubbly slurry with 3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour, 1 tablespoon of coarse salt, 1 1/4 cups of water at 110°F, and 3/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil.

Stir the mixture until a dough forms.

Transfer the dough to a clean work surface dusted with flour and knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Gather the dough into a bowl, press it with your finger to check for springiness, and lightly coat it with oil.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes.

After rising, punch the dough down to release air and transfer it to a lightly floured work surface.

Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces, keeping the rest covered with a kitchen towel.

Take one piece of dough, form it into a ball, and flatten it into a 6-inch round using a lightly floured rolling pin.

Place the rolled dough onto a baking sheet lightly dusted with cornmeal to prevent sticking.

Cover the rolled dough with a kitchen towel and repeat with the remaining pieces.

Preheat the oven to 500°F with a cookie sheet on the lowest rack.

Let the rolled dough rest for 30 minutes to rise slightly.

Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 2 minutes, then flip the pitas and bake for an additional 1 minute.

Remove the pitas from the oven and keep them covered to stay warm and steam until serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens