“I’m getting really bored with the sandwiches in my lunchbox!” If this sounds like you, then it’s time you learned how to make pita bread, pitta bread, or pita pockets–whichever way you say it, they are just as easy to make!
As pitas are little flatbreads, they are made and baked waaaay quicker than the usual loaf of bread. We’ve cut out some of the unnecessary steps to make them even easier for kids to make, and we’ve used wholemeal flour to make them more healthy too. Sound good? Then let’s get started!
Stuff You’ll Need
- 200g wholemeal bread flour*
- 200g plain white flour
- 1 tsp (heaped) salt
- 7g fast action yeast
- 280ml warm water
* You can use white bread flour if you prefer.
Let’s Get Going
1. Put your water in a bowl first, and then all your other ingredients on top. Start mixing it with a spoon, until it gets doughy, and then you can knead it with your fingers–you don’t have to take it out of the bowl to knead it.
2. Cover the bowl with some cling film or a damp cloth, and leave for 40-60 minutes. Give it another knead, to get rid of any big air bubbles, and then put your dough onto a floured work surface.
3. Roll it into a large sausage shape, and mark off 6 equally sized pieces.
4. Roll each of these pieces into a ball shape, and then use your hands to squash and pull each piece into a flat oval. It should be about 5mm thick. Put it onto a baking sheet when you are done–no oil needed.
5. When all six pitas have been made, heat your oven to 220c, 425f, gas 7. Your pitas will need this heat up time to relax and rise a little.
6. When the oven reaches temperature, put your baking tray(s) into the oven. Pitas only take 7-10 minutes to cook, so keep your eye on them. They are done when puffed up and slightly golden around the edges.
And that’s how you make pita bread the easy way!
Once cooled, you can cut through the pitas and see how each half forms a pocket–perfect for your favourite lunchtime fillings.
Keep these pita breads in a resealable bag and they will keep for a couple of days, or they can also be frozen for when you need them.
Peckish for Some Pita Facts?
Pita is a type of bread known as slightly leavened. This means that it is fairly flat (when compared to a bread roll) but uses yeast to make it rise a little (unlike tortillas, which are completely flat).
Pita is one of the oldest kinds of bread in the world, and comes from Middle East and Mediterranean countries such as Greece, Cyprus, and Turkey, as well as some countries in North Africa.
Pita bread is commonly eaten as a kind of spoon, to scoop up yummy dips such as hummus, or to wrap up falafel and kebabs to make a kind of hot sandwich.
What yummy things do you like to put inside your pita pockets? Be sure to leave us a comment below and let us know.
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