Golden Pita Bread

Recipe by PJ Hamel
150 Reviews 4.6 out of 5 stars

Pita bread is one of those things (like English muffins, like soft pretzels) that most people simply don't think of making. "It's too hard. It won't work. They won't puff up." Not true! This is just a simple white bread recipe cooked in an unusual way. They will puff up; honest. And fresh, golden pita bread, hot from the oven, is a revelation; it makes those packaged pitas pale (literally) by comparison.

Prep
25 mins
Bake
7 mins
Total
2 hrs
Yield
8 pitas
Golden Pita Bread

Instructions

Prevent your screen from going dark as you follow along.

  1. Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Combine flour with the rest of the ingredients, mixing to form a shaggy/rough dough.

  2. Knead the dough, by hand (10 minutes) or by mixer (5 minutes) or by bread machine (set on the dough cycle) until it's smooth.

  3. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, and allow it to rest for 1 hour; it'll become quite puffy, though it may not double in bulk. If you've used a bread machine, simply let the machine complete its cycle.

  4. Turn the dough onto a lightly oiled work surface and divide it into 8 pieces.

  5. Roll two to four of the pieces into 6" circles (the number of pieces depends on how many rolled-out pieces at a time can fit on your baking sheet).

  6. Place the circles on a lightly greased baking sheet and allow them to rest, uncovered, for 15 minutes, while you preheat your oven to 500°F. (Keep the unrolled pieces of dough covered. Roll out the next batch while the first batch bakes.)

  7. Place the baking sheet on the lowest rack in your oven, and bake the pitas for 5 minutes; they should puff up. (If they haven't puffed up, wait a minute or so longer. If they still haven't puffed, your oven isn't hot enough; raise the heat for the next batch.)

  8. Transfer the baking sheet to your oven's middle-to-top rack and bake for an additional 2 minutes, or until the pitas have browned.

  9. Remove the pitas from the oven, wrap them in a clean dishtowel (this keeps them soft), and repeat with the remaining dough.

  10. Store cooled pitas in an airtight container or plastic bag.

Tips from our Bakers

  • Pita bread can be a bit temperamental; it doesn't always puff. And when it doesn't, don't despair. It's still soft and delicious.
  • For sandwiches, simply wrap a pita around the filling, rather than splitting and filling.

  • Join King Arthur baker Martin Philip and his family as they bake Golden Pita Bread together, start to finish. Watch Martin Bakes at Home — Golden Pita now.

Baker’s Resources