These whole grain pocket breads are soft, wholesome, and delicious. We’ve used them for all our favorite pita-worthy snacks and dishes, from crunchy, dippable chips, to salads, to loaded sandwiches.
This recipe is featured at our King Arthur Baking School in Skagit Valley, Washington, where baking with whole grains is a continuing focus.
Weigh your flours; or measure them by gently spooning into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Combine the spelt flour, water, and yeast and allow the mixture to rest for at least 10 minutes (or up to 2 hours).
Add the remaining ingredients and mix and knead gently by hand, on a lightly floured work surface, until the dough is smooth and supple. It will be quite sticky at first but should smooth out, so resist the urge to add more flour.
Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and allow it to rise at room temperature for about 60 minutes. It will have spread somewhat, but will seem very relaxed as well; it’s not a high-riser.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 500°F with a baking stone on the bottom shelf, if you have one. If you don’t have a baking stone, simply position one rack at the bottom of the oven and have a baking sheet at the ready.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it into eight pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and allow them to rest for 15 minutes, covered.
Working with two pieces of dough at a time, lightly dust the top of each ball with flour, then roll them into circles about 6” in diameter.
Using a cornmeal-dusted baking peel or the back of a cornmeal-dusted baking sheet, transfer the two pitas to the hot stone. If baking on a half sheet pan, sprinkle the pan with cornmeal and place the pitas on the pan.
Bake the pitas (on the stone, or on the pan on the bottom rack) for 3 to 5 minutes, until they've puffed and started to turn golden in spots.
Remove the pitas from the oven, wrap them together in a clean dishtowel (this keeps them soft), and repeat with the remaining dough balls.
Store cooled pitas in an airtight container or plastic bag for several days at room temperature; or freeze, well wrapped, for up to 3 months.
