We used this recipe to the letter twice with slightly had different outcomes: at home we couldn't get our pan hot enough - that's cheap pans for you! In the oven at Amy's workplace, the results were incredible – so much so she was a little worried it would explode as it was like a balloon! Either way, they both tasted lovely with some salad and even some fry’s chicken nuggets. Just make sure you can get your oven lovely and warm before starting!
Ingredients (Makes 4)
1 cup warm water
1 tsp yeast
½ tsp sugar
17g wholemeal flour
¼ cup plain flour
1 cup plain flour
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
Method
Whisk together the warm water, yeast and sugar. Add the wholemeal flour and ¼ cup plain flour and mix thoroughly. Place in a warm place for 15 minutes until the mixture is puffy and resembles mushy weatabix!
Remove the bowl from the warm space and add in the salt, olive oil and the majority of the cup of flour until it is a dry-ish dough. You can use the rest to dust when kneading.
Knead the dough in the bowl for a few minutes and then turn onto a dusted surface, kneading for 2-3 minutes more.
Recipe Note: The previous recipe stipulated that you should place it in a warm place and then knead again after ten minutes – I forgot this on my second attempt and the results were better so it’s up to you!
Place in a clean, lightly-oiled bowl and tightly cover with clingfilm or a towel and return to the warm place for an hour.
Preheat your oven to 230 degrees Celsius (and if you have a steam and heat setting, use that) and place a flat baking tray at the bottom of the oven to heat; DO NOT cook your pittas until it has reached this heat or you will get duds like our first attempt!
Carefully punch down the dough and divide into four equal servings. Roll each into a ball and place under a damp towel to rest for 10 minutes.
One at a time, roll out the dough balls into fairly thin circles. When the oven is hot enough, quickly place the pitta onto the tray and return to the oven. Cook for a few minutes until the pittas have puffed up. Flip the pitta and cook for a further minute – you don’t want to over-cook them!
When you cut it, the air bubble will have made a perfect pitta pocket – if your oven let you down like mine did, you can still slice a hole through the pitta breads and enjoy a salad pitta!
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