30 by 30: Pita Bread

I made this pita bread over the weekend and loved how easy it was! While mine aren't perfectly round they were perfectly delicious! It was kind of a last minute decision to make the pitas and so I ended up going with a recipe that I could make right away. There was one recipe I really wanted to try but the dough had to sit overnight in the refrigerator. I still plan on trying that recipe, though, because it will enhance the flavor. :) But this was a great, quick recipe and if I ever need pita bread in a hurry again I will definitely make it!

Pita Bread
Recipe from AllRecipes

1 1/8 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Place all ingredients in bread pan of your bread machine, select Dough setting and start. When dough has risen long enough, machine will beep.               

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently roll and stretch dough into a 12 inch rope. With a sharp knife, divide dough into 8 pieces. Roll each into a smooth ball. With a rolling pin, roll each ball into a 6 to 7 inch circle. Set aside on a lightly floured countertop. cover with a towel. Let pitas rise about 30 minutes until slightly puffy.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). Place 2 or 3 pitas on a wire cake rack (I used a pizza stone). Place cake rack directly on oven rack. Bake pitas 4 to 5 minutes until puffed and tops begin to brown. Remove from oven and immediately place pitas in a sealed brown paper bag or cover them with a damp kitchen towel until soft. Once pitas a softened, either cut in half or split top edge for half or whole pitas. They can be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for 1 or 2 months.