Pita Bread
- 1 tablespoon superfine granulated sugar
- 1 package or 2-1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
- 2 Tbsp. Perfect Pantry rice bran oil
- 1 cup warm water (117 F-140 F)
- 2-1/2 to 3 cups bread flour
- 2 tsp. Trapani sea salt
Preheat oven to 500 F. If grilling outdoors, prepare a grill for direct cooking and place a baking stone over the grate and heat to 500 F. Adjust the racks so they take up the lower half of your oven, and place a baking sheet on each one. Alternately, place a pizza stone in the center rack of your oven.
If you do not have a baking stone, preheat your grill so you have heat on only one side of the grill; the actual cooking of the pita will happen on the other side.
Whisk the sugar, yeast, oil and water together in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl or in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, mix the bread flour and sea salt together.
Give the sugar, yeast, oil and water another stir and add it to the dry ingredients. Whisk together well.
Either with your hands or in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, knead the bread until it becomes tight and loses its stickiness-about 15 minutes by hand, 7-10 in the stand mixer on medium setting. Add a bit more flour if necessary to create a soft dough (about the texture of your earlobe.) Oil up the ball of dough and place it in a bowl that is also wiped with oil and cover with a damp tea towel. Let it rise for at least an hour to an hour and a half, or until doubled in size.
Divide the dough into 8 similarly-sized balls. Cover them again with a damp towel for 20 minutes and let them rise in a warm place.
Roll the dough flat with a rolling pin until they are about ¼” thick. Place two to three pitas on each baking sheet, baking stone or cool side of the grill and bake until risen and beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Remove the cooked pitas to a damp towel and wrap them well. Repeat with remaining dough. Serve immediately or let cool and cut into wedges. Makes 8 pitas.