In the past year, I’ve become a lover of breadmaking – the yeast rising and the methodical kneading and the patient waiting. There’s been lots of sourdough breads and pizza doughs made. But until last week, the process of pita bread making was entirely foreign to me. It was hard to imagine how the traditional flour-water-yeast combination that makes my pizza dough is the same ingredients that create those perfectly-puffed pita pockets.

I was very skeptical, even as I kneaded – but amazingly, the recipe worked! Exactly right. Well, except for that one first round of extra crispy pockets. The rest of the pitas came out exactly as you’d hope. The perfect vehicle for eating big scoops of avocado-cilantro hummus and homefried falafel and spicy jalapeno-onion salad…

Homemade Pita Bread – adapted from Molly Katzen’s New Moosewood Cookbook

1 c. warm water
1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 c. whole wheat flour
2 1/2 c. white flour
extra flour for rolling + kneading
some oil for dough
cornmeal for baking

Proof yeast in warm water for 5 minutes until foamy. Add sugar and salt, and stir to dissolve.

Add 1 c. of whole wheat flour and 2 c. of white flour, one cup at a time. Mixing “enthusiastically” (Molly’s words) as you go. Start kneading the dough and add the final 1/2 c. of flour as needed. Knead for a few minutes until smooth. Then add some oil to the bowl and rub over the dough. Cover with a clean towel, and leave in warm place to rise for about an hour.

When dough has doubled in size, punch it down. Knead on a clean, floured surface for about 5 minutes. Divide into 12 pieces (or 6 if you want large pitas). Knead each piece a bit, then roll it into a very thin circle (1/8 inch thick). Let circles rest for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 500F with pizza stone – or warm a tray in the oven for a few minutes. Place as many circles as possible without touching on your stone or tray. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until just slightly golden brown. You’ll see them puff up after a minute or two!

Prep a damp tea towel and a paper bag. Remove breads from oven, and wrap in towel and bag to keep them soft. Enjoy!