I started making pita when I was 14; now I am 58.
-Ana Arapovic
Homemade pita bread isn’t THAT hard to make, but this quote cracked me up so I had to use it!
With tailgate/football season around the corner, I thought it might be a good time to pull out some of my favorite creative party treats…starting with an Orrell tailgate classic: mini chicken salad pitas from Zoe’s Kitchen!
No really, my mom orders these chicken pitas every single game day. I would literally not eat all day before a game just so I could eat 50+ of them when I got to the tailgate. If you have never tried these, go now & pick up some, you won’t regret it!
While I am still trying to perfect Zoe’s chicken salad, making homemade pita bread is something I can help show you how to do. This pita bread can easily be made in 1 hour & is the perfect accompaniment any kind of stuffing you want to add to it!
How to make this simple 1-hour homemade Pita Bread:
To begin, preheat your oven to 450 degrees then heat 1/4 cup of water (either by faucet or microwave).
Add 1 tbsp of active yeast to the warmed water, give it a good whisk & allow the yeast to activate for 5 minutes.
While your yeast is activating, grab your stand mixer and begin adding in your ingredients. Start by adding 4 cups of flour, 1/2 tsp sugar & 1/4 cup of olive oil.
Next, add in your yeast-water mixture.
Attach the dough hook to your mixer & begin to mix the ingredients on a low-medium speed.
While your mixer is going, slowly add in your remaining 1 cup of water. When all water is in the mixer, add in 1 tsp of salt.
Begin to mix again at a medium speed & continue for 7-8 minutes until a sticky dough is formed.
When your dough is ready, remove it from the mixer and cover it with a kitchen towel. Allow your dough to proof for 30 minutes.
When your dough has doubled in size, remove it from the bowl and place it onto a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into 12 even pieces & form each piece into a ball.
Cover your dough with a towel & allow it to rise for another 10 minutes.
When your dough is ready, roll the dough into a flat circle that is 1/4 inch thick.
You can cook 2 pieces of pita bread at a time. To do this flip a piece of pita onto a pizza stone or parchment lined baking sheet so that the side that was once in the air is now faced down. Slightly wet the top of the pita bread & shut the oven door.
Bake your pita bread for 5-6 minutes in the oven until it is puffy & slightly browned on the top.
When your pita is ready, remove it from the oven, allow it to cool. Serve & enjoy!
Your pita bread didn’t puff? No problem! Some of mine puffed perfectly, some only halfway puffed & some not at all. You can use the flat pieces as a flatbread if you can’t get the pita to open in the center!
This incredibly delicious 1-hour homemade pita bread will stay good for 3-4 days in a sealed container.
If you are looking for the perfect game day treat, cut open the pita bread and slather a large helping of chicken salad inside. Cut the pita into 4 pieces, then serve to your friends and family! You will be the hit of the tailgate/gathering!
ENJOY!
- 4 cup flour, all purpose
- 1 1/4 cup water, warm
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp active yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp water** for last steps
-
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
-
Dissolve yeast into 1/4 cup of warm water. Allow it to “activate” for about 5 minutes.
-
Into a stand mixer add: flour, sugar, oil, salt & yeast water.
-
Add dough hook attachment & “knead” ingredients together while slowly adding in the rest of your warm water.
-
Once all water is in the bowl, add in your salt. Knead on medium speed until all ingredients are completely incorporated & sticky dough is seen.
-
Cover mixing bowl with kitchen towel & allow to “proof” for 30 minutes until dough has doubled in size.
-
When dough is ready, onto a floured surface, add dough & divide into 12 balls.
-
Cover dough again & allow to proof for 10 minutes.
-
When dough is ready, roll out your dough into a 1/4 inch disk.
-
**Using a finger, dip it into the water & slightly wet top of pita disk.
-
It is now time to bake your pita, to do this flip the disk to the opposite side you rolled it out on. Place it onto either a pizza stone or a parchment paper lined baking sheet. (You can bake up to 2 pitas at a time).
-
Bake your pitas for 5-6 minutes. When they are done they will be lightly browned on top & puffy.
-
Repeat steps until all 12 pitas are baked. Allow to cool, serve & enjoy!
*Not all pitas will perfectly puff. I had some that puffed completely, some only had 1/2 a puffed side & some not at all.
Get creative with them. You can always use the non-puffed bread as a flatbread!
**Store pita in an airtight container for 3-4 days at room temperature.