Two words. Monumental Recipe.
Yeah, monumental.
It is just that good.
Like it is crazy, just insanely good. You could not get them better unless you flew to Greece.
I can promise you guys, that after you make this easy homemade traditional Greek pita bread you will never want to buy the store bought version again. Sure, you may have to for convenience and time purposes, but you will probably be wishing you were eating these.
Nah, not probably. You will. Guaranteed.
They’re so soft, so chewy and the flavor is just so good. There really are no words to describe just how good these are.
If you can make pizza dough, you can make these. And even if you have never made pizza dough, you can still make these. They are so simple and the dough is really easy to work with. These pitas are going to transform your lunches and even your dinners! Greek pizza? Yes!
So, I made these pita’s with a purpose. A real good purpose. But you are going to have to wait till tomorrow for that.
Until then, make these pita’s. You’ll want to just eat them plain, but you really should wait and pair them with tomorrow’s post.
But trust me, make them now.
Ingredients
- 1 cup hot water, but not boiling
- 2 teaspoons active dry or instant yeast
- 2 1/2 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Mix the water and yeast together in the bowl of a stand mixer (a large bowl will also work if you do not have a mixer), and let sit for about five minutes until the yeast is dissolved. Add 2 1/2 cups of the flour (saving the last half cup for kneading), salt, and olive oil. If using a stand mixer attach the dough and need the dough on medium speed for 8 minutes, adding more flour until you have a smooth dough. If using your hands sprinkle a little of the extra flour onto your clean work surface and turn out the dough. Knead the dough for about 5-7 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add more flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking to your hands or the work surface, but try to be sparing. It's better to use too little flour than too much. If you get tired, stop and let the dough rest for a few minutes before finishing kneading.
- Clean the bowl you used to mix the dough and run it with a little olive oil. Set the dough in the bowl and turn it until it's coated with oil. Cover with a clean dishcloth or plastic wrap and let the dough rise until it's doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
- At this point, you can refrigerate the pita dough until it is needed. You can also bake one or two pitas at a time, saving the rest of the dough in the fridge. The dough will keep refrigerated for about a week.
- Gently deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and gently flatten each piece into a thick disk. Using a floured rolling pin, roll one of the pieces into a circle 8-9 inches wide and about a quarter inch thick. Lift and turn the dough frequently as you roll to make sure the dough isn't sticking to your counter. Sprinkle with a little extra flour if it starting to stick. If the dough starts to spring back, set it aside to rest for a few minutes, then continue rolling. Repeat with the other pieces of dough. (Once you get the hang of it you can be cooking one pita while rolling the next one out.)
- Warm a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat (you want a hot pan). Drizzle a little oil in the pan and wipe off the excess.Lay a rolled-out pita on the skillet and bake for 30 seconds, until you see bubbles starting to form. Flip and cook for 1-2 minutes on the other side, until large toasted spots appear on the underside. Flip again and cook another 1-2 minutes to toast the other side. The pita should start to puff up during this time; if it doesn't or if only small pockets form, try pressing the surface of the pita gently with a clean towel. Keep cooked pitas covered with a clean dishtowel while cooking any remaining pitas.
- These are best eaten fresh, but will keep in a ziplock bag for a few days or in the freezer.
It is Sunday. The perfect day to make some fresh homemade Greek pitas!
Shared with: Inside BruCru Life, Lil Luna, Chef In Training, Buns In my Oven, Foodie Friday Friends, Tidy Mom, Taste and Tell, Cheerios and Lattes, Somewhat Simple, Mom on Timeout, I Heart Nap Time, Fine Craft Guide, The Country Cook, Whipperberry, Chef In Training
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Yummy! I love Greek pita!
I LOVE your blog and all of your great recipes! But, this recipe for pita bread is one that inspires me to get up and make some right now!!
Can I use whole Wheat flour instead?
Yes, you can! But just a note that they will be a little more dense. Hope they turn out great for you!
I can’t wait to try these, they look awesome!
These look great! I have been wanting to try flatbread or pita bread. Gonna pin this and also send it to my sister.
ahumblebumble.blogspot.com
Thanks for pinning I hope you guys like em!
Your photography is so good…these pitas definitely look delcious. I love bread anyway, and it’s always nice to try something a little different. Thanks for sharing this.
Oh what a great idea! Thanks for sharing at Show Me Your Plaid Monday’s!
These look soo good! I have seen pita recipes before but they never looked as good as this one! I am going to try and make some of these for sure!
OMG! does that look good, thanks for sharing cause i am making this!
http://thegoodsalad.blogspot.com/2013/02/tortellini-soup.html#.USMtYB3WhCc
These are the most perfect pitta breads I have ever seen! Pinning and hope mine turn out as beautiful as yours!
Thanks for pinning and I am sure they will be great!
Wow, I am so going to try these. They look fabulous. I would love to have you link up to my link party this week.
http://www.bloominghomestead.com/2013/02/crafty-tuesday-link-party-21913.html
-Marie
I’ve got to try this. The pita bread in the store never looks anything like the stuff they serve at Greek restaurants. The closest I’ve found is Naan bread they sell at Costco. Pinned these and the chicken gyros. Yum!
I totally agree!! Thanks for pinning!
My husband went to Greece in December and LOVED the food. I’m going to have to make these for him so he can reminisce about his time there. Thanks for sharing.
I’d be thrilled if you’d link up your recipe at this week’s Off the Hook!
Tieghan,
This is a great recipe. I love pita, but have never made it. This is so easy, I’m going to give it a try. I would love to have you share this with this weeks Wednesday’s Adorned From Above Blog Hop. The link is
http://www.adornedfromabove.com/2013/02/wednesdays-adorned-from-above-blog-hop_19.html
Have a great week.
Debi and Charly
Oh wow. I’m drooling all over my keyboard. This is TOTALLY a recipe my husband and I would absolutely devour. Pinning now to make very soon. Thank you so much for sharing!
~Jen @ Yummy. Healthy. Easy.
Oh my! This looks fabulous! I am pinning this recipe and trying it this weekend… YUM!
hugs x
Crystelle
Thanks for pinning!
I tried making these once but they turned out way too crispy. I’m going to give it another go with your recipe, we LOVE pita in our house! We would love it if you would link up at our new linky party: Two Girls and a Party Hosted by:
Dana @ This Silly Girl’s Life
Parrish @ Life with the Crust Cut Off
We hope to see you there!
Hi!- Well I finally found some time to make these…! However, since you said you can save it, that’s what I did. Question: I left it in the bowl after it rose with the wrap over it. Should I have tightly wrapped it or does it matter? I just pulled it out of the fridge- should I let it come to room temp before I start making/baking/cooking it? Also, I didn’t have a dough hook so I hand kneaded it. You’re right, it is easy to work with. I’m not quite sure if I kneaded it enough though because it didn’t seem to rise very much – is it better to under knead it or over? I followed your suggestion about the flour so I sorta kept to the same thinking… So, wish me luck! (No, I have never made my own pizza dough either!)…If these don’t come out as well as yours, I will try again…I have a lot of leftover flour from Christmas! (cookies and such that I never found time to make…)- thanks! Karen
If the dough did not rise, you might have under kneaded it. However they may still turn out. I would allow the dough to come to room temp before trying to roll it out. Good luck!
Looks delicious!
Love this! I’d like to invite you to link up to Saturday Spotlight @ Angels Homestead.
http://angelshomestead.com/saturday-spotlight-5/
Hope to see you there
April
Question…what do you mean by “press down with a clean towel” if they don’t puff? I am pretty experienced at bread making, but Pitas seem to have me stumped. Last time I tried only about half actually puffed using my cast iron skillet and the method that you described. I *need* it to work. I love pita bread and I hate it when something has me beat!
Pressing the surface of the pita gently with a clean towel may help air pockets form, but even if the pockets do not form the pita is still amazing. I actually prefer them without the large pocket. =Don’t get to caught up on the big pocket (none of mine had one large pocket). Traditional Greek pita bread does not have a large packet, they look like the ones in my pics. Trust you will no regret making these, pockets or no pockets! Good luck!
looks awesome!!! Thanks for sharing at Tasteful Tuesdays! Just wanted to let you know that this will be featured at tomorrows party
) Link will go live MOnday night.
http://www.nap-timecreations.com/2013/02/features-and-tasteful-tuesday-party.html
Thanks for the feature!
Oh, I have been wanting to make this for a long time now! I think I will pin this and do it soon! Hope you can link up at my Trendy Tuesday party going on right now!! http://www.sweetlittlegals.com/2013/02/trendy-tuesday-25.html
I have been looking for a good pita bread recipe, can’t wait to try it! Just pinned.
WOW, I just made these and they were amazing!!! They look just like your photo.. Thanks for sharing. Next time I might add some feta cheese and Greek seasoning..
Yum! I am so glad you liked them! Thanks for reading!
Can’t wait to try this Tieghan! Pinned and featuring tomorrow!
Thanks so much for sharing! I am so happy you like them!
I tried these last week, and used them to make a chicken pita with spicy ranch dressing. It was amazing. This time I’m going to sprinkle with a little Greek seasoning and enjoy them with some fresh hummus! Thanks for sharing this recipe! They are delish! and super easy!
I am so glad you liked them! Thanks reading!
Definitely trying these! PINNED!!!! Thanks for sharing with us!
I made these last night and they turned out amazing! I usually make lamb meatball gyros and buy my pitas at Trader Joe’s but you sold me on if you can bake bread you can make these. The pitas made the meal! There are only 2 of us and we at 6 of the 8 pitas the batch made. We took the additional 2 to work today. I do have one question……did your kitchen get smoky when cooking them? I was cooking the pitas in my cast iron skillets – I have 2 Le Creuset pans and I used both the 10 and the 12 inch about medium-heat. After the 2nd batch of pitas the extra oil in the pan made my kitchen get really smoky. I had to put a box fan in my window because my kitchen fan was not doing the job. It cleared out quickly but I wonder if you had the same problem? They still tasted great and looked just like yours but I was wondering if you had a smoky issue?
Thanks for sharing your great recipe,
Lydia
Yup, my kitchen got smoky. I opened door. It is just whats happens when those caste iron pans get smoking hot, the smoke! Ha! So glad you liked them! I loved reading your comment!
Do you need a cast iron skillet for these to turn out?
These sound great! I’m going to thy them this weekend – but with Gluten Free flour.
I found you today through the Pinterest Power Party. I’ve pinned this to my Pinterest Boards (http://pinterest.com/vmg206/). I’m #75 at Callies Crafts and I’d love for you to stop by my blog and leave a comment and/or pin, too!
~ Megin of VMG206
Oooooh! I’ve been really wanting to try pita or naan in a skillet. Thanks for sharing with us!
I am telling you try it! So amazing!
Mine came out good, but didn’t look a pillow soft as yours in the picture, I guess that comes with practice!
Just try again, you’ll get there!
If I used bread flour instead of all purpose, how would that effect the texture of the pita bread??
Bread flour works great! I have actually used both and not noticed to much of a difference! Enjoy!
Hi –
I’ve made these twice now but both times the pita came out really dense instead of fluffy. I’m not sure if this was because the dough didn’t rise right? I used a KitchenAid mixer to mix the ingredients together for eight minutes, than left it to rise for several hours. It never doubled in size. Any thoughts as to what I’m doing wrong?
Thanks!
The problem is definitely that your dough is not rising. Is your yeast fresh? Or did you let the yeast dissolve in warm water to proof? It should have foamed at the top? If it did not then your yeast is probably bad. Hope this helps, let me know if you have any other questions and do not give up. This recipe is worth it, promise!
Would this work to use the bread machine to mix the dough?
I can not say for sure, but I would think so. It’s worth a try! Let me know how it goes.
You say hot water? I am going to give these a try. Thanks.
I saw your recipe for these pieces on Pinterest. I made them last night for me and my boyfriend, and can I say you are exactly right about how wonderful these are! I have always hated store-bought pita because they have a tendency to taste stale and tough, but these were so delicious! I didn’t even know that this is what pita bread was supposed to taste like. My boyfriend, whose father was Mediterranean, vouched for the authenticity of the taste of these. We will be having these on a regular basis, and I so appreciate you posting this recipe online. This is a life-changing recipe!
I am SO glad you loved these! This comment made my night!
Tried but not true. No pocket!
Traditional pita bread has no pocket, sorry they did not turn out for you!
These look amazing. I bet they would be great with homemade hummus. Thanks for sharing.
Blessings,
Nici
I am so glad you pinned this! I love Pita Bread! I can’t wait to try it! I love your blog, I am super new to the blog world and would love for you to come check out cook and craft me crazy. thanks again, I can’t wait to taste this! xoxo Brook
Thank you! Pita bread is the best!
These look so yummy. I’ve been wanting to make my own pitas for a while and just haven’t gotten around to it. They also look super easy, and I love that I can leave the dough in the fridge and make them as needed. I’m always in need of easy lunch ideas, and what could be better than stuffing a nice warm pita with some sort of sandwichy goodness? Can’t wait to try them!
NOTHING beat these pitas they are so good! Hope you enjoy them!
I tried making these. I rolled them out to 1/4″ thick and they puffed up fine but when I cut them open they were still partly raw. I think medium high heat may be a little too hot for cooking these, didn’t really like the smokey kitchen either. I will try again, but next time will cook on an electric griddle at a lower heat – like english muffins.
Oh man, sorry to hear that they were not cooked! What a bummer. Mine cooked great at medium-high but maybe mine pan was not has hot as yours. Hope the next try works better!
I don’t usually comment on a recipe, but I have to for this one. Great recipe! I have made flatbread and naan many times. This recipe wins hands down as written. I doubled the batch, refrigerated after the rise, and cooked on my griddle. Made 13, they looked just like the picture and tasted delicious!
YES! Thank you for try these! I am so glad you loved them. That makes me smile!
I made this twice, once using my mixer with the dough attachment and another without, and they came out too crispy – did not fluffed up at all. I retraced my steps and all seemed ok – yeast activated properly, the dough rise to double in size, etc….Not sure what I did wrong…I live in Louisiana, so it is fairly humid, do you think that is the culprit, or am I just really terrible at it?
Hmmm… I honestly can not say. It sounds like you are doing everything right. I do live in a VERY dry climate, so maybe the humidity does have an effect. I guess I would try rolling the dough thicker. This will help them puff and hopefully keep them from getting crisp! Also, make sure you pan is not to hot. You want it hot, but not smoking. Hope that works and let me know!
I just made these and they are absolutely delicious! Except, mine didn’t puff up at all, they stayed flat. What happened?