Whole Wheat Laffa/Iraqi Pita

[Chef #333943]

does anyone have a recipe for Laffa? it's an Iraqi Pita found throughout the Middle East. I enjoyed it alot in Jerusalem, especially freshly baked with Zhataar on top. But now that I'm in the U.S. again, I must make it myself. I did an internet search, but to no avail. I would prefer a Whole Wheat version of the recipe if at all possible. Thanks.

[1Steve]

I only found a plain flour recipe, but don't see why you can't sub at least 1/2 whole wheat and get good results.
http://niki.ammas.com/a1/advisors/index.cfm?r=va&qid=74842&cid=229765

[Chef #333943]

great! thanks!

[Angela Marie]

Chef #333943 wrote:
does anyone have a recipe for Laffa? it's an Iraqi Pita found throughout the Middle East. I enjoyed it alot in Jerusalem, especially freshly baked with Zhataar on top. But now that I'm in the U.S. again, I must make it myself. I did an internet search, but to no avail. I would prefer a Whole Wheat version of the recipe if at all possible. Thanks.

Is this it. Hopefully

WHOLE WHEAT PITA BREAD
Why make your own pita when it's readily available at supermarkets? One bite of these, fresh and warm from the oven, will tell you exactly why. The dough is simple to make, and because the dough rounds are thin, they bake in less than 5 minutes. But if you don't have time to make your own, store-bought pita can be warmed, wrapped in foil, in a preheated 350°F oven.
Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 3 hr

1 (1/4-oz) package active dry yeast (2 1/2 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon honey
1 1/4 cups warm water (105–115°F)
2 cups bread flour or high-gluten flour, plus additional for kneading
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Cornmeal for sprinkling baking sheets



Stir together yeast, honey, and 1/2 cup warm water in a large bowl, then let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.)
While yeast mixture stands, stir together flours in another bowl. Whisk 1/2 cup flour mixture into yeast mixture until smooth, then cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk and bubbly, about 45 minutes. Stir in oil, salt, remaining 3/4 cup warm water, and remaining 2 1/2 cups flour mixture until a dough forms.

Turn out dough onto a floured surface and knead, working in just enough additional flour to keep dough from sticking, until dough is smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. Form dough into a ball and put in an oiled large bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Punch down dough and cut into 8 pieces. Form each piece into a ball. Flatten 1 ball, then roll out into a 6 1/2- to 7-inch round on floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Transfer round to 1 of 2 baking sheets lightly sprinkled with cornmeal. Make 7 more rounds in same manner, arranging them on baking sheets. Loosely cover pitas with 2 clean kitchen towels (not terry cloth) and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

Set oven rack in lower third of oven and remove other racks. Preheat oven to 500°F.

Transfer 4 pitas, 1 at a time, directly onto oven rack. Bake until just puffed and pale golden, about 2 minutes. Turn over with tongs and bake 1 minute more. Cool pitas on a cooling rack 2 minutes, then stack and wrap loosely in a kitchen towel to keep pitas warm. Bake remaining 4 pitas in same manner. Serve warm.

Cooks' note:
• Pitas can be baked 1 week ahead and cooled completely, then frozen, wrapped well in foil in a sealed plastic bag. Thaw before reheating, wrapped in foil, 10 to 12 minutes in a 350°F oven.

Makes 8 (6-inch) pita loaves.

[Chef #333943]

Thanks!

[Angela Marie]

Well??
Do you think that this is what you are looking for?

I certainly hope it is.
angela

[Chef #333943]

that's actually a recipe for traditional pita, like what you can get in the deli sections here. the iraqi laffa doesn't have a pocket, they're a different texture, and much bigger, but thanks.

[Angela Marie]

Im sorry, but I reread the recipe. It says nowhere in the recipe that one doubles, folds or in anyother manner makes a pocket.
These are flat pitas using whole wheat.
It was from a site that also stated that they were true Iraqi Pitas. A web site from that region of the world.
Well, im sorry, but I truly tried.

[Chef #333943]

thanks

[Angela Marie]

Chef #333943 wrote:
thanks

what can I say!!!!
your welcome, at least I tried. lol

[NcMysteryShopper]

Edit: Just realized this is the same one from Steve1's post

Lafah (Iraqi Pita) is a large, round, fluffy, flat bread that can be used for many dishes. It can be a holder for shauarma (thinly sliced roasted meat), or a savory vegetable salad, or sprinkled with cinnamon paste and sugar just as easily. It takes some time and practice to get perfectly round, thin, and durable lafah, but once you get the technique, you've got it for life. So don't worry if they come out mishapen the first couple of times.

List of ingredients:
Equipment
a very hot electric or coal grill
a large non reactive (plastic, aluminum, or stoneware) bowl
a regular dinner sized plate
a large lint free cloth
For the Dough
1 kg. plain white flour
1 tbsp. dry yeast
1 tsp. baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
1 tsp. salt
3 cups water

Cooking procedure:
Mix all of the dry ingredients together in the bowl.
Add the water, while squeezing it into the flour mixture, until it forms a soft, pliable dough. If it is a little wet, add a little flour, but not too much.

Knead the dough, by hand, on a floured surface for at least 5 minutes. The object is to get as many bubbles as possible into the dough, so the more time you take with it, the better. 10 minutes is ideal.

Put the dough back in the bowl, cover the it loosely with a cloth, and if it is a hot day, let rise for 1 hour, until it is doubled in size. On a cold day, it may take up to 3 hours.

While you are waiting, lay out the lint free cloth, and place the plate on it.

Gather the corners of the cloth, and tie the opposite ends together, or use a rubber band. Make sure the cloth is securely around the plate. The gathered ends will be your handle, and the other side will be where you spread your lafah dough.

Dust your lafah spreader (the plate with the cloth you just adjusted) with flour.

Preheat your grill to high heat when the dough is almost ready.

When the dough has risen, grab a medium handfull of it, and gently roll it into a ball.

Press the ball gently in the middle, and "massage it" outwards, using your thumbs, to stretch it out.

When it gets to about the size of a patty, place this on the flat side of the lafah spreader you made, and gently stretch it farther out, while rotating it, until the outer edges of the dough hang over the sides. You can keep going, and make them very big, once you get the hang of it.

Flip the lafah off of the plate, and onto the hot grill.

Once the lafah begins to bubble, it is time to turn it over. This will not take very long, so be watchful.

In about the same amoung of time, it should be done on the other side.

When you remove them from the grill, put them on a plate that is covered with cloth, and cover them with the cloth.


Storage Tips:
Lafah should be eaten on the day they are made, for the best taste, but they can be stored in a bag in the freezer for later, after they are cooled.


~ AND~

in case you run out
Za'atar recipe #16621 by Mirj

[Chef #208121]

As 1Steve said you should be able to sub in the whole wheat.

What I would do is gradually add the whole wheat and take out the white until you reach a Laffa you are happy with based on the recipes.