Pita Bread -- Using the Master Recipe #309834

Galley Wench's Note:

The following is the baking instructions to make pitas using the dough made with No-Knead Artisan Boule Bread (The Master Recipe). Now you can make delicious fresh pitas whenever you need them . . . perfect solution for a small family! The only special equipment needed is a baking stone. The Master recipe will make four pounds of dough . . . the recipe below will use 1 pound of dough, making 4 pitas.

• Total Time: 12 mins
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 7 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 4 Pita Po ...

• 1 1/2 cups beer, 12 oz. bottle, room temperature lager such as Budweiser (Note Water can be substituted however it will somewhat effect the flavor)
• 1 1/2 cups water, warm approximately 100 degrees
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast
• 1 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt
• 6 1/2 cups unsifted unbleached all-purpose flour (29.25 ounces)

Directions:

1. Refer to No-Knead Artisan Boule Bread (The Master Recipe) for instructions to prepare the dough necessary to make the pitas.
2. TO BAKE: (Dough should be refrigerated for at least 24 hours).
3. Twenty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 500 degrees with a baking stone.
4. Just before baking, dust a pizza peel with flour.
5. With wet hands, pull up one end of the refrigerated dough (No-Knead Artisan Boule Bread (The Master Recipe)). Using a serrated knife, cut off a 1-pound, or grapefruit-size, piece of dough. (Note a 1 pound piece of dough will make 4 pitas so adjust the amount needed as necessary.)
6. Divide the dough into 4 pieces (no larger than 4 ozs. each) and shape into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four side, rotating a quarter-turn as you go.
7. Place the dough on a flour-dusted pizza peel, dusting the top with flour.
8. With a rolling pin, roll the dough out into rounds with a uniform thickness of 1/8 inch. This is important, because if it's too think, it may not puff.
9. With a quick motion, slide the pitas from the pizza peel directly onto the preheated baking stone.
10. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until lightly browned and puffed.
11. For authentic, soft-crusted results, wrap the pitas in a clean cotton dish towel and set on a cooling rack when baking is complete.
12. The pitas will deflate slightly as they cool, however the space between the crust will still be there.
13. Serve with your favorite filling.
14. Once cooled the pitas can be stored in a zip-lock bag.

Reviews

[Muffin Goddess]

Great fresh bread, but boy, did rolling these out thin enough give new meaning to "pita" bread, LOL! I needed these for Greek Grilled Cheese and Tomato Stacks, so I divided the 1 lb piece into 8 pieces instead of 4. I ended up using quite a bit more flour for dusting in order to be able to roll these out — the wet dough kept sticking to me, the rolling pin, and occasionally the pizza peel too! My kitchen looked like a bomb had gone off by the time I was done fighting with those ornery little suckers (due, of course, to my lacking as a bread maker, not to the recipe), and my dog was looking at me like I was completely out of my tree, lol. All the frustration went out the window as soon as I saw that first perfectly round, beautifully puffed little pita bread in the oven. I can't say much for the appearance of the rest of my pitas, but the flavor and texture made up for the high percentage of uglies I made. The beer gives these a nice tang, and as difficult a time as I had rolling these out, it WAS really nice not having to knead or do multiple rises. By the way, these were perfect in the recipe I used them in. Now I need to try some of the other methods with my remaining dough! Thanks for posting :)! Made by a fellow Queen of Quisine for ZWT6 Greece

[Mami J]

I am giving this 5 stars based on flavor and texture, but you do need a baking stone to achieve a pocket. I made mine on a very hot heavy cast iron griddle (over low heat) but it didn't work very well (I didn't want to turn on the oven because it was too hot). I will make them properly next time.Thank you Galley! Made for Swizzle Chick and ZWT6.

[Iwona1961]

It's a hit. At a chosen moment I am able to make pita. No fuss, no kneading. And they puffed beautifully. The dough was very soft and slightly sticky but I don’t mind as long as I have nice fresh pitas. I don’t have pizza stone - baked mine on upside-down large pyrex dish. Thanks for posting.