Tonight, I made chicken tagine for my son. It was a throwback recipe from our trip to Marrakesh last year—a trip I will never forget. He is about to head off on his next adventure to South America, and I am making all his favourites before he goes. Midway through making the Tagine, I thought, instead of using the store-bought Pita Bread I have, why don’t I try and make my own? So I did, and it turned out perfect!
I hope you’ll give it a go, I promise you it’s easy, it just needs a little TLC!
Ingredients:
1 cup lukewarm water
2 tsp active dry yeast
½ tsp sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided (or 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour and 1 ½ cup whole wheat flour)
1 to 2 teaspoon kosher salt (I used Diamond Crystal kosher salt)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Cooking Method: (my preferred method is in the oven, it’s super simple)
Start by preparing the sponge: Combine lukewarm water, yeast, and sugar in a large mixing bowl until the yeast and sugar dissolve. Add ½ cup of flour and whisk to combine. Leave the bowl uncovered in a warm place for about 15 minutes until the mixture bubbles, forming a loose sponge.
Next, form the pita dough: Add salt, olive oil, and most of the remaining flour into the sponge mixture, reserving about ½ cup of flour for later dusting. Stir until the mixture forms a shaggy mass. Dust the dough lightly with flour and knead it in the bowl for approximately one minute to incorporate any loose bits.
Proceed to knead the dough: Lightly flour a clean work surface and knead the dough for a couple of minutes until it becomes smooth. Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes before kneading again for a couple more minutes. The dough should remain slightly moist, and if necessary, lightly dust with flour, but avoid adding too much.
Allow the dough to rise: Clean the mixing bowl and coat it lightly with extra virgin olive oil. Return the dough to the bowl, turning it a couple of times to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel, then place it in a warm spot. Allow the dough to rise undisturbed for about 1 hour or until it doubles in size.
Divide and shape the dough: Once it has risen, deflate it and place it on a clean work surface. Divide it into 7 to 8 equal pieces and shape them into balls. Cover with a towel and let them rest for about 10 minutes.
Shape the pitas: Using a floured rolling pin, roll out each dough ball into a circle approximately 8-9 inches wide and a quarter-inch thick. Lift and turn the dough frequently to prevent sticking. If the dough springs back, rest for a few minutes before rolling. Repeat with the remaining dough balls.
Baking options:
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F for oven-baked pitas and place a cookie sheet on the middle rack to heat. Bake the rolled-out pitas directly on the hot baking surface for 2 minutes on one side, then carefully flip and bake for 1 minute on the other side until puffed and golden. Keep the baked pitas covered with a clean towel while working on the rest.
For stovetop-cooked pitas: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until water droplets sizzle immediately upon contact. Drizzle some olive oil onto the skillet and wipe off any excess. Cook each rolled-out pita for about 30 seconds on one side until bubbles form, then flip and cook for 1-2 minutes until toasted spots appear. Flip again and cook for 1-2 minutes until the pita puffs up. Keep the cooked pitas covered with a clean towel while cooking the remaining ones.
