DIY: Pita Bread
This post was originally published on May 4, 2007
On these beautiful spring days, it’s tough deciding how to spend the mornings: head outside and weed among the daffodils or throw on an apron and get floury in the kitchen? Here’s a quick bread recipe that lets you do both–Pita! With a relatively rapid rising time (30 minutes) you can have the satisfaction of having your hands in both dough and dirt in the same morning.
Just be sure to use that nail brush in between!
Pita bread is something my family has been making for as long as I can remember. They are so fun to make and puff up nicely, leaving a hollow center to fill with grilled chicken, veggies or whatever you desire. They are pretty amazing just warm from the oven with a drizzle of olive oil.
Here’s my favorite hummus recipe, in case you need an accompaniment for your pitas!
Wimbush Family Pita Bread
1 tablespoon yeast
1 ¼ cup warm water
1 teaspoon salt
3- 3 ½ cups flour Dissolve yeast in water for about 5 minutes in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add salt and 1 ½ cups flour and with the dough hook, beat to make a batter. Add additional flour until a rough, shaggy mass is formed. Knead 8 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. Add more flour if it is too sticky. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into six pieces for large pitas or ten for smaller. I make all sorts of sizes to suit different snacks and meals. Form dough into balls, then flatten with a rolling pin into ¼ inch thick discs. Try and keep an even thickness as this is what helps them ‘puff’. Let rest on the floured surface 30-40 minutes until slightly puffed.
Preheat oven to 425F.
With a large spatula, flip the rounds of dough upside down on to a baking sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes until light golden. Stick around for the first five minutes of baking when the pitas perform their magic and puff up from flat pancakes to proud, four inch high pitas. These store for up to two days well wrapped or frozen for three weeks.
We love pita bread, but I’ve never tried to make it. Your recipe makes it sound so easy. Now I’ll just have to wait till my oven gets fixed to try it! Thanks Aimée.
Oooh, those look gorgeous! I’ve tried different methods before but it’s the rolling that confounds me every time. I’ll give this method a try!
can you use whole wheat flour? Looks yummy. mmmmm…my favorite greek restaurant serves homemade pitas with the really yummy green sauce (i have no idea what it is, kind of garlicky, pestoish, springy tasting).
How great is that! I love pita bread!
That looks fantastic. Pita Bread is on my “to make” list… just haven’t gotten around to it yet!
I am SO excited about this recipe for pita bread!! I love the idea of pita bread, but any/all pita bread that I’ve purchased was so dry and “not worth the calories” tasting. I am definitely going to make these. Thank you for sharing the recipe!!!
Looks quick, easy and delicious… just how I like it! Will definitely try!
do you have a recipe for Tahini Sauce?
You can try this one 🙂
nfatima.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/tahini-sesame-sauce/
I want to make pita bread so bad. We never find fresh one around here. Looks like an easy recipe.
When I first looked at the top photo I thought it was mushrooms! What delightful pita. So good to be able to make them yourself!
I’ve made pita bread exactly one time — it was great to watch it puff up in the oven, and the taste was amazing. But at the time I lived three blocks from a pita bread bakery, so I lost all motivation to ever make my own pita again!
Hi Valya- It is surprisingly easy. Hope you give it a go when you oven is back up and running.
Hi Adrienne- It’s crucial to roll them to the same thickness everywhere or they don’t puff.
Hi Stephie- I’d try a mix of half whole wheat and half white.
Hi M.Houseman- It’s such a staple.
Hi Kirsten- I have a list like that!
Hi Coleen- You won’t believe how good these are!
Hi Susan- Great! Have fun!
Hi Kayleen- Unfortunately I don’t..
Hi Helene- They are pretty fast to whip up and so rewarding!
Hi Lynn- You’re the bread baking expert, you could make these!
Hi Lydia- I understand! Hang onto this recipe in case you ever move.
I love pita bread–your look wonderul! I have never tried making pitas–but you have inspired me. thanks Aimee! I sure love your blog!
Hi Aimee, silly question but do you use all purpose flour (plain flour here in the UK) or strong bread flour? I’ve never seen such wonderful pitas!
Hi Aimee, find your blog tru’ cookie baker lynn blog and I love what you are doing! I added you to my reader and will be following you. Keep up the good work. Yumooo!!!
Qte
I have a great greek yogurt dip that is just calling out for these to be made! Great pictures – only you could make plain pitas look so enticing!
I have another recipe that I have been holding onto for making Pita Bread, but this one looks much more delicious. I will keep this one instead. Lovely photos!
Awww they look so cute and puffy!! Homemade pita involves no compromise: they are quick and delicious! So much better than any store-bought variety. Yours look very nice and light!
I’ve been following your blog for a while and I love it. I think you do a fantastic job at bringing us easy and delicious recipes.
Thanks for sharing them 🙂
I tried this a while back. I don’t know what I did wrong but although they puffed up, they were hard like a rock when they came out. I was so sad because I was so excited about it. Any suggestions on how to fix that?
I won’t be able to come Saturday evening as it turns out. It’s my mom’s birthday and we’re having family dinner then. Hope you have fun!
I made both the pita and the hummus and am enjoying both as we speak. Yours look way better than mine. I made 11 pitas, different sizes but the 3rd “batch” (since I couldn’t fit all in my oven) were flat like pancakes. What did I do wrong?
your pita bread loooks awesome! pity i am the only one who loves pita bread in the family! ohwell. more for me 🙂
Ok. This will be my Saturday am cook up. I’m interested in knowing what kind of pans you use. I’m in need of at least a new baking sheet… And what’s the deal with sil pads? (I think that’s what they’re called…)
Hi Melanie Anne- Thank so much. I’m lucky to have you as a reader.
Hi Jane- I use AP flour, but ‘m sure bread flour would work well, too.
Hi Qte- Welcome to UtHC! Hope to see you around in the future.
Hi Culinarywannabe- Mmm I wish I had some of that dip around when I made these.
Hi TreehouseChef- Thanks! You’ll love them.
HI Marta- Thanks so much for reading!
Hi Sharon- You may have overbaked them slightly. They tend to get pretty crispy in that case. Overworking the dough may be a factor too. You’ll have to come over for a tutorial sometime! Say happy birthday to your mom for me!
Hi LaNita- I’m thrilled you’re reading and trying the recipes!! They probably over-rose by being the last batch in, or if they are not rolled to an even thickness throughout, they won’t rise.
Hi Chocolatecups- Thanks for stopping by. Who doesn’t love pita??
Hi Cara- I just use cookie sheets. Silpats are overrated.I never use mine unless I am working with meringues or candy. Happy baking!!
(I made another comment, but I think I misspelled the verification!)
I’d love to try this pita bread with my mom’s homemade chicken salad. Maybe we’ll give this recipe a spin a the beach!
They look amazing! Wow I’m so impressed: the breads look delicious 🙂
They look so good!! And so does your hummus,and your cupcakes, and your sweet potato pancakes,and…!
Thanks for sharing!
Oh wow! Look at that perfectly puffed pita bread! It looks amazing. I bet it would be delicious with hummus.
Those look soooooo much better than the dried out, store-bought pita we get around here. My mouth waters just imagining what I could fill them with!
Aimee, isn’t it funny – I made pita bread last week, too – and it had been ages! great minds… I did use half whole wheat with great sucess.
They look like soft, puffy pillows! I have never tried to make pita before but after seeing yours I will give your recipe a go.
I understand that difficulty–baking or gardening? It’s always hard to choose, and on good days I get to do both!
Wow, looks delicious! Looking forward to making this summer and filling with home grown veggies!
I made the pita last night. It was great fun and came out wonderful. Thanks for sharing your family recipe!
Hi Aimee, Thanks for your recipe, I found it a few weeks ago and on a whim decided to just make it tonight. The whole process was relaxing and perfect, and it produced wonderful pitas! I sat and watched them puff up in the oven – possibly the best part!
They were so moist and chewy, nothing like the brittle shop bought ones I've had before.
Thanks for a brilliant recipe – it's going to be used a lot around here.
ps I used strong bread flour for mine 🙂
these are fantastic, we made them this afternoon for p365 and they were a huge hit … thanks so much for posting about them … next time i will be making the hummus as well 🙂
I the yeast dry yeast?
When you say "knead", do you mean by hand to you continue to knead it in the bowl with the dough hook?
Hi! I found you through pinterest. Thanks for sharing the recipe! It should be called the perfect pita recipe. They ALL puffed and were soft and easy to cut open I will never use my other recipe again!♥
Should I even attempt this with a hand mixer? I don't have a big one or a dough hook.
This is for Kayleen. Tahini is really easy to make. See http://bit.ly/A5LcY4 (or google for other recipes). I make 1/3 this amount, and I make it with a mortar and pestle instead of the food processor because I like the texture.
What kind of yeast do i use?
Brianna, regular dry yeast is fine.
Dawn, yes, knead with a dough hook.
how many does this make?
I can't wait to try this pita bread, how wonderfully easy.
Thank you so much for sharing it!!
LOOK GREAT!! WHAT KIND OF YEAST DO YOU USE? ACTIVE? INSTANT? RAPID RISE? THANKS!
Thanks for the great recipe. I didn't know it could be so easy. I've made it a couple of times now and am very happy with the result. And so are the hungry hordes!
wow!!!!! i don't have any bread in my house and i can't grocery shop til later this week so i decided to make this recipe and holy cow!!! they puffed! i am so excited! thank youuuuu
Does anyone know if you can refrigerate the dough and make at a later time?
Does it make a pocket? If so, WHY? I read your instructions several times to see if you stick two circles together – did I miss something?
I just attempted these and mine did not puff as big as the picture and they are rather crispy. What did I do wrong? I'm somewhat new to making homemade breads.