Restaurant quality

I am not a baker, but I can make restaurant quality desserts and I do make excellent pastry for both sweet and savoury pies. A bread-maker I am not, except for quick breads. I wanted to make pita bread just for fun. I made the first batch with bread flour, but found it too dry so I made a second batch with all-purpose flour and it was nicer. I baked them in the oven so I could cook them all at once but even at 475°F my oven was not hot enough so they didn’t puff up like they did when cooked stovetop. Also, they had to be eaten same day because they were not as nice the next day. I made a teriyaki chicken filling with some slaw and quick pickled onion to stuff into the pita. The recipe was quick and easy and made a delicious, stress-free lunch.

Pita pocket bread
1 cup warm water (100°F-110°F)

2 teaspoons yeast, not instant

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

3 cups bread or all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

Whisk together in a bowl; yeast, water, and sugar. Put in warm, draft free spot to activate yeast, about 5-7 minutes. Yeast will be foamy when ready. Add flour, salt, and oil to yeast and stir together to form dough. Knead on counter for 10 minutes. Put dough in bowl, lightly oil and cover bowl with plastic wrap.

Let rise in draft free area for one hour or until doubled in size. Put dough on counter and cut into six pieces. Cup each one with your hand and gently roll into ball shape. Cover with towel and let rest for 10-15 minutes. Roll each ball into circle about 1/2 cm thick. Preheat oven to 475°F. Place sheet pan in oven to preheat or use pizza stone. Bake pitas until puffed up, about eight minutes, turning over halfway. Alternatively, heat cast iron pan on stove top over medium high and cook pitas until puffed up.