Recipe by Bella Karragiannidis
ABOUT BELLA:
“First and foremost, I am an artist. Everything I do and share through Ful-filled (full-filled.com) comes from a deep passion for beauty and connection. Whether I am in the kitchen or the garden … whether I have a camera or a paintbrush in my hand … I feel that my purpose in life is to create and inspire through everything I do. While most people assume I am Greek, I was actually adopted into the Greek culture after marrying my husband. My first foray into Greek culture was via the kitchen. My in-laws started teaching me traditional Greek cooking, and slowly but surely, preparing Greek cuisine became a key part of my identity as a creative.”
THE ORIGIN:
“Pita is the oldest bread in the world, and the word pita is actually from the Greek language. The word pita has two different meanings in the Greek language—one of them being the word used specifically to describe this flatbread. Nothing quite compares to the fluffy-on-the-inside, golden-crisp-on-the-outside experience of eating Greek pita bread. I will never forget the first gyro I ate in Greece or scooping up my father-in-law’s homemade tzatziki with a piece of his handmade pita.”
HOW TO SERVE:
“Greek pita bread is an everyday food. It is most recognizably served as the foundation for gyros, but pita bread is also amazing served as a soft and fluffy vehicle for scooping up dips and spreads.”
ACROSS THE COUNTRY:
In Greece, the word pita can refer to both a savory pie such as spanakopita and the flatbread found here. Across Greece, pita bread is often accompanied by hummus, baba ganoush, tzatziki, or tabbouleh for dipping or used as a wrap for souvlaki and gyros. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not always typical for pita to have a pocket. And though it’s now a popular flatbread across the Mediterranean, its roots actually trace back to the ancient civilizations of the Middle East.
Greek Pita Bread
In a large bowl, combine 1⅓ cups (320 grams) warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand until slightly foamy, 10 to 15 minutes.
Stir olive oil and salt into yeast mixture. Gradually add flour, mixing with your hand. Mix with your hand until dough starts to come together. Turn out onto a heavily floured surface. Knead until dough becomes smooth, 5 to 6 minutes, re-flouring work surface as needed.
Oil a large bowl. Place dough in bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°F/24°C) until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
Punch down dough. Divide into 8 portions, and shape into rounds. Let stand for 15 minutes.
Heavily flour each portion of dough, and roll or press rounds into 8-inch circles (about ¼ inch thick). Press down firmly with your fingers to create dimples in dough.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add neutral oil to hot skillet. Add 1 dough round, and cook until it starts to puff up, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn, and cook until nicely golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove pita from skillet, and place in a clean cotton towel. Repeat with remaining dough. Serve warm, or let cool completely inside towel. Store in a resealable plastic bag for up to 4 days, or freeze in a resealable plastic freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Source: https://www.bakefromscratch.com/category/recipes/bread/feed/
