Authentic Homemade Pitta Bread

Ingredients

Olive oil

1 tablespoon

Salt

1 teaspoon

All-purpose flour

3 cups

Active dry yeast

1 packet (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)

Warm water

1 1/4 cups, 110-115°f

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the warm water and yeast. Stir gently and let it sit for 5 minutes until the yeast is completely dissolved and starts to froth.
2. Add the flour, salt, and olive oil to the yeast mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon or your hands until a shaggy dough forms.
3. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 5-7 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and bounces back when poked. If the dough is too sticky, add a bit more flour as needed.
4. Place the dough in a clean, oiled bowl and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.
5. Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C) and place a baking stone or an inverted baking sheet on the middle rack to heat up.
6. Once the dough has risen, punch it down to release the air. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten with a rolling pin into a circle about 1/4 inch thick.
7. Carefully place the dough circles on the preheated baking stone or sheet, and bake for about 2-3 minutes, or until the pitta breads puff up.
8. Remove the pitta breads from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack. The breads will deflate as they cool, creating a pocket perfect for stuffing.