Vefa’s Pita Bread

By RoketJSquerl

Note: the amount of pita bread units depends on how big you roll them out to. I like big pita breads. I used a large cast iron skillet in this instance. You should be good for at least 8, depending on the size you like them to be.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3/4 cup warm (body temperature) water
• coarse cornmeal for dusting
• vegetable oil for greasing the pan

Preparation

Step 1

Combine your dry ingredients in a bowl. In another large bowl, add the water, olive oil, yeast, salt and sugar and let stand for five minutes or until you see that the yeast is active.
Using your hands, gradually add the the dry ingredients into wet and knead with your hands until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Cover and leave in a warm spot in your kitchen to rise and rest for about 30 minutes.
Divide into six pieces and roll out into 8 to 10 -inch rounds that are about 1/4 inch thick. Dust both sides lightly with cornmeal and lightly poke the surface of your pita breads with the tines of a fork (careful not to poke right through).
Place a heavy cast-iron skillet (non-stick pan is fine as well) and heat to medium-high. You may place your pita dough on corn-meal lined pizza peel to slide onto the hot skillet.
Pour some vegetable oil in a small bowl and dunk some kitchen towel in it and grease your hot cast iron skillet.
Place your pita dough on the hot skillet and and fry the bread for a couple of minutes a side or until they start to puff and bubble up. Flip and fry the other side.
Place fried pita breads on to a large cotton kitchen towel and cover. Dab your kitchen towel into the bowl of vegetable oil and place another flattened pita dough on the skillet.
Repeat frying each pita bread and stack them, tucked inside the kitchen towel. Serve warm or allow to cool inside the kitchen towel until cooled. Store in a sealed plastic bag for up to a week or freeze.