Pita Bread

Flat pita is almost always caused by one of four problems. First and most common: the oven and baking surface were not hot enough. The baking surface must be preheated for at least 30 minutes at the highest temperature your oven can reach — 250 to 260°C. A surface that is merely warm produces flat bread. Second: the pita was rolled too thick or too thin. The sweet spot is 4 to 5 mm — thicker areas cannot generate enough steam pressure to separate the layers; much thinner than 3 mm and the dough dries out before it can inflate. Third: there are holes or tears in the dough from rolling, which allow the steam to escape. Fourth: the dough is under-hydrated. This recipe is at 65% hydration, which is enough for the pocket to open, so do not add extra flour.

The pocket-forming pita described here is the Levantine style — common in Lebanon, Syria, Israel, Jordan, Palestine, and Egypt — where the bread is used to scoop, dip, and fill. It is baked very quickly at high heat, producing a thin, pale bread with a clear hollow interior. Greek-style pita (used for souvlaki and gyros) is usually thicker and has no pocket; it is made to be wrapped around meat. Neither is more authentic than the other; they serve different purposes. The technique in this recipe produces the pocket-forming Levantine style.

Yes — on a cast-iron pan or heavy skillet over high heat. Heat the pan for 3 to 4 minutes until a drop of water sizzles immediately on contact. Place the rolled pita in the dry, ungreased pan. After 30 seconds, bubbles will form. Flip and cook 1 to 2 minutes on the second side until dark spots appear and the bread begins to puff. Flip back and cook 1 minute more. Press gently with a cloth if puffing is incomplete. Stovetop pita is more accessible but puffs less dramatically and evenly than oven pita; the oven method produces a more complete pocket. The stovetop method also produces some char marks that many people prefer for the flavor.

Fresh pita is best eaten within hours of baking — the pocket collapses as it cools but can be reopened with a knife. Store cooled pita in a sealed plastic bag at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. Refrigeration is not recommended — cold accelerates staling in bread. To refresh day-old pita: wrap in foil and place in a 180°C oven for 5 minutes, or toast briefly in a dry pan. Pita freezes excellently for up to 3 months — freeze flat and separate with baking paper, then reheat from frozen in a dry pan or oven. The dough can also be refrigerated after the first rise for up to 24 hours and baked to order.

In Levantine cuisine, pita is used in several ways. As a scoop: torn into pieces and used to scoop hummus, baba ganoush, labneh, mutabbal, and any mezze dish. As a sandwich: the pocket filled with falafel, shawarma, grilled halloumi, or kofta, dressed with tahini sauce, pickles, fresh parsley, and tomato. As a base for manakish (Lebanese za'atar flatbread): the shaped, unbaked pita is brushed with za'atar and olive oil paste and baked. In Egypt, the smaller, thicker version called aish baladi is torn and used to scoop ful medames (stewed fava beans). In Greece, the thicker version wraps souvlaki and gyros. Za'atar, tahini, olive oil, and hummus are the most common accompaniments.