Ingredients

1 envelope dry yeast

2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon sugar

4 cups white all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups water

1 tablespoon olive oil

Method

1 Combine the yeast and sugar in a small bowl, add 1/2 cup of the warm water and let it stand for 10 minutes to proof and ferment it.

2 Dissolve the salt in the remaining warm water.

3 Put the flour in a large mixing bowl, making a well in the middle and put the dissolved yeast and salt water into it.

4 With your hands, blend it into a dough.

5 You may need a bit more or less water depending on your flour.

6 Knead the dough in the bowl with your fists for 10-15 minutes or until it is smooth.

7 Pour the oil over the dough and knead it again until the oil is absorbed.

8 Cover the dough in the bowl with a towel and set it in a draft free area to rise to double it's bulk (1-2 hours), then punch it down and knead it again for a few minutes.

9 Preheat your oven to 350°F.

10 Cut pieces of dough, egg size or larger, depending on the size of the pita desired, shape them into balls with your hands and roll them out over a lightly floured board or pastry cloth to 1/4 inch thickness.

11 Set 2 or 3 pitas on a lightly oiled cookies sheet and bake them on the lower rack 2 to 3 minutes each side.

12 Pitas should be white and soft.

13 Wrap the baked pitas in a clean towel until they are cool, then store them in plastic bags to prevent them from drying out.

14 When you are ready to use them, heat a bit of oil in a shallow skillet and fry them a minute or so on each side, or until golden brown.

15 Use them immediately, because they get hard when they dry out.

Cooks Comments and Tips

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