Pita Flatbread

When I first visited Greece, I remember being overwhelmed by all the wonderful flavors this country has to offer. Making these flatbreads reminded me of of eating gyros pita with tzatziki, bought from one of the many vendors in a typical narrow alley, for the first time. Trust me, this pita smells and tastes authentic!

You will need:

• a stand mixer, hand mixer, or simply your hands

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup (180 ml) warm water
• 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (I used fast acting)
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 2 1/2 cups (325 g) all-purpose einkorn flour + more for bowl and to roll out
• 1 tsp Celtic sea salt
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil + more for skillet

Preparation:

Pour the warm (not hot!) water in a small bowl. Add yeast and maple syrup, and let sit for about 10 minutes until bubbles form. Meanwhile, put the einkorn flour with salt into a large mixing bowl and form a well in the middle. If you’re using a machine, attach the kneading hook. Once the yeast/water mix is ready, pour it with the olive oil into the well and start kneading. It takes about 5 minutes on low to medium low speed for my stand mixer to form one piece of dough that can easily be pulled away from the inside of the bowl and the hook. It might take a little longer, if you use your hands. Cover the bottom of your bowl and your hands with some more flour, and form a nice flour-dusted ball of dough. Cover the bowl with a clean, damp kitchen towel, and let the dough rise in a warm place until it’s about double the size. This takes, give or take, about 2 hours, depending on room temperature and the kind of yeast you use. If your A/C is running, and you can’t find a warm spot in the house, please check my notes for a solution! Once the dough has risen, push it down with your fist, pull it away from the bowl, and briefly knead it again. Transfer dough to your flour dusted work area and divide it into 5 even pieces. If you prefer smaller pitas, just make it 6 or seven. Cover with damp kitchen towel again and let rest for another 15 to 20 minutes. Use a flour dusted rolling pin to roll them into thin, flat circles. Preheat a skillet on medium high. Add some oil, and place flatbread into the skillet until bubbles form and the bottom starts to take on some color (see picture), about 2 – 2 1/2 minutes. Flip the pita. If oil is all absorbed, add some more. The second side might take a little less time to be done. Keep checking! Repeat with all your pitas, and use sufficient oil so the pitas won’t burn.

Notes:

• This flatbread is perfect to soak up sauces or dips like tzatziki, as a nice variation instead of dinner rolls or, this is my favorite, to create the most delicious vegan gyros pita.
• You can make an even more flavorful herbed version of this bread by adding 1 Tbsp minced fresh herbs of your choice and 1 – 2 cloves minced garlic to the dough.
• Best if eaten right away, but I usually double the amount of ingredients and freeze the rest in ziploc bags with air removed. I quick-thaw them by heating a skillet on medium high and cooking the pitas on both sides with some olive oil.
• If you can’t find a warm spot in your house to let the dough rise, heat your oven to 110°F (43°C). Not higher! Then turn it off again! The yeast loves warm conditions but will die when it’s too hot. Wrap one or two damp kitchen towels around your bowl to give it some insulation and to prevent the dough from drying out. Put it in the warm oven (did you turn off the heat???) and let it rise. This technique will definitely speed up the process.