Khubz'arabi
(Pita Bread) Recipe

Origin: Arabic      Period: Traditional

This is the classic Pita bread of the Ottoman empire. It's known from the Balkans, through Greece to Turkey and the Middle East. This current recipe is from Turkey but the versions elsewhere are almost identical. The recipe produces flat breads about 15cm in diameter. They are used for saladas and also for meat fillings. To use them in kebabs simply place the meat in the centre and fold the bread around them.

Ingredients

1 tbsp active dried yeast
1 tbsp sugar
120ml warm water
550g bread flour
2 tsp salt
240ml warm water
1 tbsp olive oil

Khubz'arabi
(Pita Bread) Preparation:

Method:

Dissolve the sugar in the 120ml warm water then sprinkle the yeast over the top and stir to combine. Cover and set the mixture aside for 15 minutes.

Add the flour to a large mixing bowl and form a well in the centre. Dissolve the salt in the 240ml warm water and add this to the flour along with the yeast mixture. Combine the flour into the liquids and bring the mixture together as a dough. Knead this thoroughly with your hands for 10 minutes then add the olive oil and continue to knead until the oil has been absorbed and the dough is smooth and elastic.

Bring the dough together as a ball then cover the bowl and set aside in a warm spot to rise for about 90 minutes, or until doubled in volume. At the end of this time turn the dough onto a lightly-floured surface and knock back before kneading well for 5 minutes.

Pinch the dough into roughly egg-sized pieces and roll these on a lightly-floured surface until about 6mm thick. Transfer to a lighly-oiled baking tray and prick each a few times with a fork. Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 180°C and bake for about 2 minutes before turning the breads over and baking for a further 2 minutes.

Remove from the oven then place on a work surface covered with a clean tea towel. Lay another clean tea towel over the top and allow the breads to cool completely (this stops them from drying out and becoming hard as they cool). When cold the pitas can be stored in plastic bags in the refrigerator or they can be frozen individually.

Before using them toast in a lightly-oiled frying pan or griddle pan for a few minutes on each side.

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