Pita bread is freezer friendly. And you can even prepare the dough ahead. Be sure to read through for tips and my step-by-step tutorial.
Many ways to use pita bread!
Whether we’re talking falafel, shawarma, hummus or even deli meat, pita pockets are my go-to. In fact, a basket of warm pita is almost always on the dinner table next to anything from soups and stews to saucy meatballs requiring something to sop up the delicious goodness. I’ve turned pita into chips and churro chips! And when the kids need a good snack to hold them over until a late dinner, I serve up some pita with a little dish of za’atar and some extra virgin olive oil for dipping.
Is it worth it to make your own homemade pita bread?
YES! As someone who grew up on authentic fresh pita bread from Egyptian bakeries, I can tell you this: pita bread we buy at grocery stores here in the U.S. is simply not the same. Like store-bought sandwich bread, store-bought pita has typically been sitting on the shelf for a few days.
Don’t get me wrong, I have bought pita at the store many times. It must be warmed up and used pretty quickly. But what I’m after here is: Fresh. Warm. Fragrant. Perfectly puffy pita bread. Making it takes me back to the streets of Egypt where I grew up. Making pita bread at home is straightforward and takes just a few ingredients you probably already have on hand. This recipe will make 8 pitas. And you can bake them in the oven or cook them stovetop in a hot skillet.
Ingredients
Water Yeast Pinch sugar All-purpose flour (or a combination of all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour) Kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt) Extra virgin olive oil (I used Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil)
Do I need a stand mixer to make pita bread?
No! In fact, I prefer to knead the dough by hand for my pita bread. You will not be doing too much kneading, and the result is almost better than using a stand mixer. Here’s all the equipment you need to make this pita bread recipe:
Large mixing bowl like this one (affiliate link) Wooden spoon or anything to stir the dough A rolling pin (affiliate link) to flatten the pita like
How to Make Pita Bread: Step-by-Step
Step 1: Make sponge Combine 1 cup lukewarm water in a large mixing bowl with yeast and sugar. Stir until dissolved. Add 1/2 cup flour and whisk together. Place the mixing bowl in a warm (not hot) place, uncovered. Wait about 15 minutes or until mixture is frothy and bubbling a bit Tip: If you don’t see some bubbles, your yeast is dead. Start over with new yeast.
Can the dough be prepared ahead?
Yes, you can prepare the dough ahead of time. Once it has risen, you can store it in the fridge until you need it! Now add salt, olive oil, and the remaining flour (keep about 1/2 cup of the flour for dusting later). Stir until mixture forms a shaggy mass. (What’s a shaggy mass? Basically, at this point, the dough has little to no gluten development and just looks like a sticky mess and you can easily pull bits off). Dust with a little flour, then knead the mixture inside the bowl for about 1 minute incorporating any stray bits.
Step: 3 Knead the dough Dust a clean working surface with just a little bit of flour. Knead lightly for 2 minutes or so until smooth. Cover and let the dough rest for 10 minutes, then knead again for a couple more minutes. The dough should be soft and a little bit moist, you can help it with a little dusting flour, but try not to add too much.
Step: 4 Let the pita dough rise Clean the mixing bowl and give it a light coating of extra virgin olive oil. Put the dough back in the bowl and turn it a couple times just to coat it a bit with the olive oil.
Cover the mixing bowl tightly with plastic wrap, then cover it with a kitchen towel. Put the bowl in a warm (not hot) place. Leave it for 1 hour or until the dough rises to double its size.
Step 5: Divide the dough Gently deflate the dough and place it on a clean work surface. Divide the dough into 7 to 8 equal pieces and shape them into balls. Cover with a towel and leave them for 10 minutes or so.
Step 6: Shape the pitas Using a floured rolling pin, roll one of the pieces into a circle that’s 8-9 inches wide and about a quarter inch thick. It helps to lift and turn the dough frequently as you roll so that dough doesn’t stick to your counter too much. (If dough starts to stick, sprinkle a tiny bit of flour). If the dough starts to spring back, set it aside to rest for a few minutes, then continue rolling. Repeat with the other pieces of dough. Tip: Once you get going, you can be cooking one pita while rolling another, if you like.
You have two options for baking the pita from here. Step 7: Bake in the oven OR on stovetop To bake pita in the oven: Heat the oven to 475 degrees F and place a heavy-duty baking pan or large cast iron skillet on the middle rack to heat. Working in batches, place the rolled-out pitas directly on the hot baking baking sheet (I was only able to fit 2 at a time). Bake for 2 minutes on one side, and then, using a pair of tongs, carefully turn pita over to bake for 1 minute on the other side. The pita will puff nicely and should be ready. Remove from the oven and cover the baked pitas with a clean towel while you work on the rest of the pitas. To cook pita in a skillet (stovetop): Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. (Test by adding a couple drops of water to the skillet, the skillet is ready when the beads of water sizzle immediately). Drizzle a tiny bit of extra virgin olive oil and wipe off any excess. Working with one pita at a time, lay a rolled-out pita on the skillet and bake for 30 seconds, until bubbles start to form. Using a spatula, flip the pita over and cook for 1-2 minutes on the other side, until large toasted spots appear on the underside. Flip again and cook another 1-2 minutes to toast the other side. The pita is ready when it puffs up forming a pocket Tip: Sometimes, with this stovetop method, the pita may not puff or may only form a small pocket. Try pressing the surface of the pita gently with a clean towel. Keep baked pita covered with a clean towel while you work on the rest.
If you don’t want to bake all 8 pitas on a given day, you can bake 1, 2 or however many you need at a time. Save the rest of the dough in the fridge for later (if stored properly, the dough will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week).
Can I make gluten free pita bread using this recipe?
Many of you have asked if this recipe can be made with gluten free flour. YES! You can simply replace the flour here with the same amount of an all-purpose gluten free flour. Bob’s Red Mill all-purpose gluten free flour or Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 baking flour (<–affiliate link) will work in this recipe.
Why won’t my pita puff?
Note that pita will not stay puffy once it sits out of the oven for a bit. We want it to puff during the baking process so that it forms a pocket to hold all sorts of tasty items. But let’s just agree that even pitas that don’t puff and end up more like a flatbread without a pocket are still delicious. That said, the main reason pita won’t puff has to do with baking temperature–the oven or the skillet aren’t hot enough. Make sure both are well-heated before cooking.
Storage and freezer instructions
Baked pita bread is best enjoyed fresh and hot-out-of the oven. But, you likely won’t finish 8 loaves of pita in one sitting unless you’re hosting a big dinner party. Good news is, pita bread will store well for a few days in an air-tight bag. Warm it up in your oven or toaster oven or even over open flame. You can freeze pita bread for later use! Here’s what you do:
Cool pita bread completely Store in zip-top bags. Make sure to push all the air out. Layer wax paper between the pitas, this makes it easy to pull just one pita at a time, if you like. Freeze for up to 3 months Warm frozen pitas up in a medium-heated oven. No need to thaw.
More bread and cake recipes here. For all recipes, visit us here. JOIN MY FREE E-MAIL LIST HERE. SHOP OUR ONLINE STORE FOR QUALITY OLIVE OILS, ALL-NATURAL SPICES AND MORE. *This post first appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in 2014 and had recently been updated with new information and media for readers’ benefit. Enjoy! 4.8 from 212 reviews
