Israeli-style Pita Bread is a traditional Israeli recipe for a pita-style flatbread as made in Tel Aviv, made larger, this is one of the breads used to prepare sabich. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Israeli dish of: Israeli-style Pita Bread.
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Israeli style pita is a very thick flat bread that’s fluffy and chewy.
Ingredients:
450g plain (all purpose) flour
1 tbsp instant yeast (or active dry yeast)
1 tbsp sugar
325ml lukewarm water
2 tbsp olive oil
1½ tbsp sea salt
Method:
Regardless of the yeast used I like to activate it first by mixing 120ml warm water, the yeast and 1 tsp sugar in a mug, stirring to dissolve and setting the mixture stand for 10 minutes until frothy.
Combine the flour, salt and remaining sugar in a bowl. Whisk to combine then form a well in the centre. Mix together the yeast mixture, remaining water and oil in a jug. Whisk with a fork then add to the well in the flour. Using your fingers mix the flour into the liquid ingredients. Bring everything together as a dough. Knead in the bowl for 5 minutes then turn out onto a floured work surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Brush a little oil over the surface of a bowl. Shape the dough into a bowl, turn to coat, cover with a damp cloth then set aside in a warm place to prove for about 60 minutes, or until doubled in volume.
Knock the dough back then return to the bowl and allow to prove for 60 minutes more. At the end of this time, knock the dough back once more then turn out onto a lightly-floured work surface and roll it to a thick log and cut to 7 or 8 equal parts (it will yield 8 medium size pita breads or 7 slightly larger ones.) If you’re using a scale, each pita should weight 110g if you’re making 7 of them, or 100g if you’re making 8.
Roll each piece of dough into a ball, sit on a lightly greased baking tray, cover tightly with plastic wrap and let it rise for 30 minutes. At this point you should start heating your oven to 260C (or its highest setting if lower). If you have a pizza stone, let the oven preheat for a full hour. Otherwise, you will bake the pita on regular baking trays.
When the dough has doubled in volume, lightly flour a working surface and a rolling pin. Have 2 greased baking sheets ready. Put a ball of dough on the floured surface, sprinkle it with a little flour, then roll into a a round flat ¼ inch thick pita and transfer to the greased baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the balls.
If you’re using a pizza stone, have a baker’s peel floured. Transfer 2 pitas at a time into the peel and use the peel to transfer into the oven. Bake on the pizza stone for 4 minutes, until the pitas have puffed up. Transfer to a tray and cover with kitchen towel. Continue with the rest of the pitas.
If you don't use a pizza stone, simply transfer one tray at a time into the oven (each with 4 pitas) and bake for 4-5 minutes, until the pitas have puffed up.
Serve the pitas immediately or keep covered in towel for a couple of hours before you serve. If you’re not planning on using them all the same day, freeze the pitas in a freezer bag as soon as they cool down.
