Fluffy Pita Bread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What makes pita bread puff up? ›

A very hot oven rapidly creates the steam that puffs up the pita.

Greek pita bread is one of those lesser-known flatbreads that is often referred to as “Mediterranean Pita” or as “pocket-less pita”. Whereas the more common pita bread (sometimes called “Arabic pita”) has a hollow “pocket” that is usually stuffed, Greek pita bread is soft, slightly thicker and has no pocket.

If your pita bread is dense, it might be because you didn't roll the dough out thin enough. Make sure to roll it out as evenly as possible. If you're having issues with it puffing up, your oven may not be hot enough. A good oven thermometer can help you troubleshoot this.

A host of factors can make perfectly puffed pitas difficult to pull off. If the round of dough is too thick, the dough is too dry or the oven temperature is too low, pita breads will struggle to puff.

Undercooking: If pita bread is not cooked for long enough, it may not rise properly and form a pocket. The dough needs to be heated enough to activate the yeast and cause the bread to puff up and form a pocket. Handling: Pita bread needs to be handled gently to avoid compressing the air pockets inside the bread.

Heat the pita until it's soft. Make a small slit in one end with a serrated knife. Then insert fingers and work open the rest of it.

Granted, you might be wondering if you can get away with serving only room temperature or even cold pita bread with this delectable dish. While you're more than welcome to do so, it does compromise the quality of the gyro plate since a nice heated piece of bread is by far better than cold.

In Greek, pita (πίτα) is understood by default to refer to the thicker, pocketless Greek pita, whereas the thinner khubz-style pita is referred to as aravikí pita (αραβική πίτα, lit. "Arabic pastry").

Choose whole wheat varieties, which contain more fiber and nutrients. Choose lower sodium options, especially if you are watching your blood pressure. Select pita bread with higher fiber and/or protein content which will help keep you full.

If you compare it to the geometry dictum that “All squares are rectangles but not all rectangles are squares”, flatbreads are to rectangles what pitas are to squares. The term “flatbread” is a bit loosey-goosey. There are some that contain no leavening and are quite thin.

What is the white stuff on my pita bread? ›

The fuzzy parts of mold you see on bread are colonies of spores — which is how the fungus reproduces. Spores can travel through the air inside the package and grow on other parts of the bread (1). They're what gives mold its color — white, yellow, green, gray, or black, depending on the type of fungus.

Using a pizza peel, a cake lifter, large spatula or even your hands, slide 2 or 3 pitas onto the preheated pizza stone or sheet. Close the oven door and bake for 2 to 3 minutes, until the pitas puff up. With tongs, turn over and cook the other side for a minute.

As soon as they puff up (balloon) take them out. The only time that I would cook them a minute longer would be if I was serving them (all of them)immediately after they're baked. Otherwise, take them out and reheat them in the oven, a toaster, or even a grill before serving. This will help them stay soft.

Brush pita breads with olive oil, then rub them vigorously with the smashed garlic cloves. Sprinkle the bread with salt, pepper and a bit of paprika for color. Place the pita bread on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the bread is nice and crispy.

Heat from an oven or hot griddle/pan will form steam and the middle and cause it to rise as it's cooking. It's best to always do a test pita. If it's not puffing up like you'd like spritz the top of your rolled out dough with a bit of water before cooking or baking it.