marie@singsing.berkeley.edu (Marie desJardins) (02/02/91)
The person who requested a hummus recipe also wanted one for pita bread
to go with it; here's one from "The Book of Bread" by Judith and Evan
Jones. I haven't tried it, but I have made several other recipes from
the book that turned out great.
PITA BREAD
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Ingredients:
1 Tbsp active dry yeast
1 1/2 C warm water
2 tsp coarse salt or 1 tsp table salt
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 C whole wheat flour
About 2 1/2 C white flour
(Makes 12 6" pitas; you can substitute white flour for
the whole wheat if you prefer.)
In a large bowl mix the yeast in 1/2 C of the warm water. When
completely dissolved and foamy, stir in remaining warm water mixed with
salt and olive oil. Mix well, then stir in the flours, holding back a
little of the white.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead for about 10
minutes, adding more flour as necessary to make a firm, elastic dough.
Clean out the bowl and rub with additional oil, put the dough in,
turning to coat, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place
until doubled in volume---about 1 1/2 hours.
Put the dough on a large, lightly floured surface and roll into a long
cylinder; then cut off 12 equal sections. Form each section into a
ball about the size of a Ping-Pong ball (1-1/2 inches?), stretching the
dough with the palms of your hands, gently pulling the sides down;
pinch the ends together where they meet underneath.
As each ball is formed, set it aside on a floured surface and cover
lightly with a kitchen towel. Let rest about 5 minutes; then, with a
heavy rolling pin, roll each ball, one by one, flattening it into a
disk 6 inches in diameter. The dough will be resistant, so you will
have to roll firmly, turning the dough on the floured surface so it
does not stick; use weight on the rolling pin to help shape the flat
dough into even rounds.
Lift the disks onto a floured surface and cover while forming others.
The pita shapes should rest 20 minutes as you heat the oven, lined with
tiles or a baking stone, to 500 degrees, the highest temperature. If
you have a paddle, transfer two of the rounds to it and slide them onto
the hot tiles or stone; otherwise gently pick up disks with your
fingers and toss them carefully onto tiles one at a time. (If you have
tiles, you can probably manage to bake 6 at a time without touching; a
stone may take only 2 at a time.) Work quickly---to retain the heat
in the oven, shut the door and don't peek for one minute; then open it
slightly and you will see that the rounds of dough have puffed up like
balloons. (Of course, if you have a glass door you can watch it all
happen.)
Continue baking for 2 minutes, then remove one by one with a spatula,
resting them on a cool surface while you bake your remaining disks.
Gradually, they will deflate as they cool. Pita bread can be eaten by
breaking it open and buttering while still warm, or with a filling
stuffed in the pocket. To keep pita, stack them and put them in a
plastic bag, squeezing out the air and tightly closing the open end of
the bag. Store in the refrigerator, or freeze them. You'll find they
are also good when toasted.