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Homemade Pita Bread Recipe

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4 from 13 reviews

This authentic homemade pita bread recipe yields soft, fluffy, and perfectly puffed pockets ideal for sandwiches and dips. Made with simple ingredients, the dough is kneaded, rested, and cooked on a skillet or baked, providing flexible cooking methods for delicious results.

  • Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
  • Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients

Dough Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour (divided)

Instructions

  1. Activate Yeast: Whisk together the sugar and active dry yeast in a large bowl, then stir in warm water. Let the yeast activate for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture becomes frothy, indicating the yeast is alive and ready.
  2. Mix Dough: Add salt and olive oil to the yeast mixture. Using a wooden spoon, stir in 2 ½ cups of flour gradually. Keep adding one tablespoon of flour at a time until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
  3. Knead Dough: Dust a counter with some of the remaining flour, turn the dough out, and knead for 15 minutes until smooth, soft, and stretchy. If using a stand mixer with a dough hook, knead for about 10 minutes. Add flour sparingly during kneading to avoid a tough dough. The dough should be tacky but not overly sticky.
  4. Oil and Rest: Tuck in the dough edges, coat the mixing bowl with olive oil, and roll the dough around to coat it evenly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place for about an hour until the dough doubles in size. Check readiness by pressing two fingers into the dough; if indentations stay, the dough is ready.
  5. Divide and Rest Dough Balls: Remove dough, divide into 10 equal pieces (about 2 oz each), tuck edges under to form smooth balls, cover with a towel, and let rest for 20 minutes.
  6. Roll Out Pitas: Using a rolling pin, roll each ball into a disk about ¼ inch thick and 6 inches in diameter, aiming for a circle or oval shape. Imperfections are fine.
  7. Preheat Skillet: Allow rolled dough to rest for 5 minutes. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat and lightly coat with olive oil.
  8. Cook Pitas on Skillet: Place one pita in the pan, cook for 20-30 seconds until bubbles form, flip and cook another 20 seconds, flip again and cook 1 minute allowing it to puff up. Flip once more to encourage puffing, then remove and cover with a towel to keep soft. Repeat with remaining pitas. Not all will puff but should form large bubbles.
  9. Optional Oven Method: Preheat oven to 475°F with a pizza stone or cast iron skillet inside. Lightly oil the stone, place as many pitas as fit without overlapping, bake for 2 minutes on one side, then flip and bake for 1 additional minute.

Notes

  • Use warm water about 105°F to 110°F to properly activate yeast without killing it.
  • Kneading time affects the texture; a thoroughly kneaded dough yields a better crumb and puff.
  • Handling dough gently when shaping helps maintain its elasticity and puffing ability.
  • Cover cooked pitas with a towel to trap steam and keep them soft.
  • Not all pitas will puff perfectly, but bubbles should form indicating air pockets.
  • The oven method is a good alternative if making larger batches or if a skillet is unavailable.
  • Store leftover pitas in an airtight container to maintain freshness; they can be reheated in a skillet or oven.
  • Author: Maya
  • Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Category: Bread
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Middle Eastern
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Find it online: https://recipeteach.com/homemade-pita-bread-recipe/