Pita Bread

Ingredients

2 tsp fast-action dried yeast

500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting

2 tsp salt

1 tbsp olive oil

Method

• Mix the yeast with 300ml warm water in a large bowl.
• Leave to sit for 5 mins until the yeast is super bubbly then tip in the flour, salt and olive oil.
• Bring the mixture together into a soft dough. Don’t worry if it looks a little rough round the edges.
• Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead for 5-10 mins until you have a soft, smooth and elastic dough. Try to knead using as little extra flour as possible, just enough so that the dough doesn’t stick – this will keep the pittas light and airy.
• Once kneaded, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to double in size, approximately 1 hour.
• Heat oven as high as it will go (ideally 250C/230C fan/gas 9) and put a large baking tray on the middle shelf of the oven to get searingly hot.
• Divide the dough into eight balls then flatten each into a disc with the palm of your hand.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll each disc into an oval, around 20cm long, 15cm wide and 3-5mm thick.
• Carefully remove the hot tray from the oven. Dust with flour then place your pittas directly onto it – you may have to do this in batches. Return swiftly to the oven and bake for 4-5 mins, or until the pittas have puffed up and are a pale golden colour.
• Wrap each hot pitta in a clean tea towel once it’s baked to keep it soft while the others cook.