Whole Wheat Pita Bread

Why bake your own pitas when they're available at the market? One bite of these, fresh and warm from the oven, and you'll know why! This recipe is an adaptation from The Gourmet Cookbook. Note: Few simple rules to ensure that they puff properly. 1. Roll an even thickness and not too thin. 2. Allow rolled out dough to rest 30 minutes 3. Bake on a stone or an inverted sheet pan in a very hot preheated oven (oven thermometer is great to have). 4. Do not open the oven to check for puff, steam will escape!

• Ready In: 3 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2 1⁄2 teaspoons  yeast (or 2 teaspoons quick-rising yeast)
• 1  teaspoon honey
• 1 1⁄4 cups warm water
• 2  cups bread flour
• 1  cup whole wheat flour
• 1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 cup cornmeal

Directions

1. Stir together yeast, honey and 1/2 cup of warm water ina large bow; stir until dissolved.
2. Let stand for about 10 minutes; until water is frothy.
3. Combine flours in a large bowl.
4. Whisk 1/2 cup flour mixture into yeast mixture until smooth.
5. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in bulk and bubbly; about 45 minutes.
6. Stir in oil, salt and remaining 3/4 cup warm water and remaining flour mixture into yeast mixture until a dough forms.
7. Knead dough on floured surface (or with a Kitchen Aid mixer), adding just enough additional flour to form a smooth elastic ball; about 8 minutes.
8. Form dough into a ball, transfer to an oiled large bowl, and turn to coat with oil.
9. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm draft-free place until doubled in bulk; about 1 hour.
10. Lightly sprinkle corn meal on two baking sheets or pizza peel.
11. Once doubled, punch down and cut into 8 pieces.
12. Flatten balls on floured surface, then roll out into a 6 1/2 to 7 inch round. .
13. Transfer rounds to baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal.
14. Cover with non terry cloth towels and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
15. Place baking stone (or cookie sheet) on rack in the lower third of oven and preheat oven to 500°F .
16. Tramsfer 4 pitas, one at a time, to the preheat baking stone. (Pitas can also be baked directly on an oven rack.).
17. Bake until puffed and pale golden, about 2 minutes.
18. Turn over with tongs and bake for 2 minute more.
19. Cool pitas on a rack for 2 minutes, then stack and wrap looslely in a kitchen towel to keep warm.
20. Bake each circle for 4 minutes until the bread puffs up.
21. Storing Pita Bread:
22. Pitas can be baked up to a week in advance and frozen. . To Freeze be sure to wrap in foil, and place in a sealed plastic bag and seal, and freeze. Thaw, still wrapped, before reheating. Heat wrapped in foil for 10 - 12 minutes in a 350º F oven.